Article and graphic courtesy of Elmira Athletics Communication

PINE VALLEY, N.Y. – The Elmira College women's ice hockey team secured its spot in the NEHC Championship game on Saturday afternoon, taking down the Herons 4-0. 

Claire Meeder '23 netted a pair of goals for the Purple & Gold, while McKenzie Schmidt '25 continued her strong tournament run, scoring once more against the Herons to give her five goals in the NEHC Tournament.

JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 4, William Smith 0
LOCATION: Pine Valley, New York | Murray Athletic Center
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (19-7-1, 14-3-1 NEHC), William Smith (17-9-1, 11-6-1 NEHC)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Elmira got on the board early in the game, scoring at the 3:40 mark of the first period. Sophie Compeau '25 collected the puck off the deflected pass and found MK Boyle '26 up the ice. Boyle then laid the puck into Schmidt's path, who powered the puck past the goaltender and into the net, giving EC a 1-0 lead and Schmidt her fifth goal in the last two games.
• Elmira held onto its 1-0 lead for the rest of the first period, entering the first intermission ahead. 4:10 into the second period, the Soaring Eagles doubled their lead. This time, Boyle received the puck from Schmidt, who then snuck her shot past the goalie while skating across the face of the goal, giving EC a 2-0 advantage early in the second period. Compeau was also credited with an assist on the goal.
• The Soaring Eagles got a third goal just over two minutes later when Erika Goleniak '25 collected the puck in the right face-off circle before firing it into Meeder in front of the goal, who drove the puck past the Heron goaltender and into the back of the net, giving Elmira a commanding 3-0 lead in the second period.
• EC scored once more on a power play at the 18:42 mark of the second period when Sabrina Shvartsman '25 passed to Holley Riva '23 from the edge of the right face-off circle, who in turn worked it around to Meeder standing in the opposite face-off circle. The fifth-year skater then powered a shot toward the upper-right-hand corner of the goal, beating the William Smith goalie for a second time in the game and giving the Purple & Gold a 4-0 lead at the end of the second period.
• The Soaring Eagles held onto their 4-0 lead for the game's final 20 minutes, securing the victory and their spot in the NEHC Championship game.
• Leonie-Louise Kuehberger '25 earned the shutout, holding the Herons out of the back of the net while stopping 15 William Smith attempts on the day.

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles are set to face off against the University of Southern Maine at the Murray Athletic Center on Saturday, March 2, at a time yet to be determined.