PLYMOUTH, N.H. – After a dominant win in last week's semifinal round, the top-seeded Plymouth State University women's ice hockey team is ready to hang a championship banner from the rafters of Hanaway Rink.
 
Plymouth State (17-7-2), enjoying a record-breaking season, hosts third-seeded Rivier University (15-10-1) in the championship game of the inaugural Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Ice Hockey Tournament on Friday (Mar. 7) at 6:00 p.m.
 
Plymouth State spent the last nine seasons in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC), advancing to the semifinals in both 2017-18 and 2019-20, but the Panthers will be playing in their first-ever conference final after soaring past the program record for wins. The shift to the MASCAC is temporary, as the Little East Conference (LEC) will adopt the sport next year. The Panthers hope to make the brief stop in the league as memorable as possible.
 
Plymouth State secured its first regular season conference title, finishing tied atop the MASCAC standings with Worcester State. PSU went 2-0-1 against the Lancers to earn the tiebreaker and top seed for the tournament, then exploded past fourth-seeded Anna Maria by a 6-1 margin last Friday. Sophomore Juliet Rutigliano (Martinsville, N.J.) gave the Panthers a first period lead with her first goal in a Plymouth State sweater, then junior Morgan Cunningham (Wrentham, Mass.) scored twice in a four-goal second period. Sophomore goaltender Karlee Lehner (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan) and the Panthers' defense didn't budge and the AMCATS never had a chance.
 
Rivier, the only team to defeat Plymouth State in conference play, stands in the way of the championship. Plymouth State took the first meeting at home, 1-0, on Jan. 24, the first game in a home-and-home weekend. Lehner made 23 saves in the shutout win, but Rivier returned the favor with a 3-0 shutout of its own the following day. The Raiders spoiled PSU's Senior Day and annual Teddy Bear Toss game with a 3-1 win at Hanaway Rink in the rubber game of the series on Feb. 8.
 
The Panthers are eager for revenge in the biggest game of the season.
 
 
The Basics: #1 Plymouth State (17-7-2, 11-2-2 MASCAC) vs. #3 Rivier (15-10-1, 10-4-1 MASCAC)
 
Game Information: 6:00 p.m., Hanaway Rink, Plymouth, N.H.
 
For the Panthers: Plymouth State's most productive line this year is made up of sophomores Laura Castronova (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and Emily Gerrie (Littleton, Colo.), and senior Emily DeSimone (Norwood, Mass.). Castronova leads the Panthers with 13 goals, the second most in a season in program history, while Gerrie's 13 assists are second-most in the MASCAC. DeSimone has been well-rounded with eight goals and nine assists while going 266-139 (65.7%) in the faceoff circle. With her assist in the semifinals, junior Katie Porrello (Milford, Conn.) set a program record for points in a season (23), while graduate student Lauren McNeil (Ottawa, Ontario) leads the team and is second in the conference with a +22 rating. Lehner has been outstanding between the pipes, setting program records for shutouts and wins in a season while leading the MASCAC with a 1.25 goals against average.
 
For the Raiders: A pair of Vermonters are the top offensive threats for Rivier. Sophomore Rebecca McKelvey (Barre, Vt.) leads the conference with 19 goals and 31 points, while her six power play tallies are also tops in the league. Senior Breezy Parent (Saint Albans, Vt.) has had a breakout season, ranking second on the team with nine goals and 19 points – both totals are easily career highs. Junior Jessica Driscoll (Tewksbury, Mass.) is third in the conference with a +20 rating and has added seven goals and six assists on the year, and Rivier is one of the few teams with goaltending that rivals that of the Panthers as senior Rachel Hinkley (Swedesboro, N.J.) is second behind Lehner in goals against (1.62) and winning percentage (.600), while holding a slight edge in save percentage (.947 to .941).
 
Last Meeting: Rivier spoiled PSU's Senior Day celebration with a 3-1 win at Hanaway Rink on Feb. 8.
 
Playoff Matchup: This is the first postseason matchup between the two programs and just the fourth all time. The teams have split four meetings, while PSU is 2-1 in the series at home.
 
Tournament History: Plymouth State is making its third postseason appearance. The fourth-seeded Panthers held off fifth-seeded UNE in overtime, 3-2, in the first round of the 2017-18 NEHC Tournament and the seventh-seeded Panthers upset second-seeded Castleton, 2-1, in the first round of the 2019-20 NEHC Tournament. Rivier is 3-2 in the postseason all-time. The Raiders advanced to the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Alliance (ECHA) championship game last winter, falling in overtime to Worcester State.
 
Up Next: While there is no automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship Tournament this year, the winner will hold out hope for a possible, though unlikely, at-large bid. The tournament bracket will be announced during the NCAA Selection Show, which airs live on NCAA.com on Sunday (Mar. 9) at 8:30 p.m.
 
 
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Watch in Person: Doors to Hanaway Rink open at 5:00 p.m. on Friday night. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $5 for children 12-and-under. Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no reentry.
 
Watch Online: Plymouth State will stream the championship game free of charge at https://www.littleeast.tv/plymouth.