Courtesy Middlebury Athletic Communications

Box Score

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Amherst scored three second period goals en route to its second consecutive NESCAC Women's Ice Hockey Championship with a 7-1 win over Colby at Middlebury. The Jeffs earned the league’s automatic bid and will make their second NCAA Tournament appearance when the pairings are announced on Monday, while Colby ends its season with a 15-9-3 mark.

Amherst (20-3-4) tied the program record for wins in a season with the victory in the championship game.

Colby had a great chance early when Laura Anning was stopped on a breakaway, as Krystyn Elek made a second save on a rebound attempt by Amanda Comeau. Amherst took a 1-0 lead at 8:41 as Julia Koch’s shot from the right point was saved before Lindsey Harrington pounced on the rebound for the goal. The Jeffs almost made it a 2-0 game at 11:30, but Anning cleared the puck off the goal line on a shot from Courtney Hanlon after Colby netminder Lacey Brown was down. Colby had another opportunity later in the period, but Colette Finley’s shot was cleared off the goal line by an Amherst defender after the shot trickled through the five-hole of Krystyn Elek. The Mules broke through with 2:41 left in the period as Stephanie Scarpato snapped a wrister into the top of the net from the high slot.

Amherst scored the first of its three second period goals just 1:40 in as Michelle McGann found the back of the net from the slot. Harrington scored her second of the game on a great play, as she one-timed a pass from Courtney Hanlon for the 3-1 lead. Kate Dennett scored a shorthanded goal at the 12:55 mark, as she intercepted a pass and skated in with wrister to the top right corner from the left face-off circle.

Hanlon, Anna MacLean and Braidie Campbell added third period goals to seal the win for Amherst. Elek made 21 saves in goal to pick up the win, while Brown made 19 stops in 40 minutes and Genevieve Triganne stopped three in 20 minutes for the Mules.

2008 NESCAC WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round - Saturday, March 1 at Higher Seeds
at No. 2 Amherst 5, No. 7 Bowdoin 1
at No. 4 Colby 3, No. 5 Connecticut College 1
at No. 3 Trinity 5, No. 6 Hamilton 1

Semifinals - Saturday, March 8 at Middlebury
No. 4 Colby 3, at No. 1 Middlebury 2 - OT
No. 2 Amherst 2, vs. No. 3 Trinity 1

Championship - Sunday, March 9 at Middlebury
No. 2 Amherst 7, vs. No. 4 Colby 1