Women's Hockey | 10/29/2011 8:14:00 PM

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NORTHFIELD, VT – The No. 2 RIT women's hockey team (2-0-0) gained a small measure of revenge, using a balanced attack and strong goaltending by #Laura Chamberlain (Norco, CA/LA Selects)# to defeat defending national champion, No. 1 Norwich (1-1-0), 4-1 in the Championship game of the East/West Challenge hosted by Norwich at Kreitzberg Arena on Saturday evening. 

Norwich defeated RIT, 5-2 in the 2011 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship at Ritter Arena in March.
 
#Erin Zach (Elmira, Ontario/Cambridge Fury)#, #Morgan Scoyne (Drumbo, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres)#, #Tenecia Hiller (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder)#, and #Celeste Brown (Great Falls, MT/National Sports Academy)# scored for RIT.  Scoyne's goal was the first of her collegiate career.  Hiller was named tournament MVP after scoring three goals in two games.  #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)#, Scoyne, and Chamberlain were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Chamberlain was brilliant in net, stopping 23 shots for her 20th career win. The Tigers penalty-killing unit was tremendous, holding Norwich scorless in seven attempts with the man-advantage.  RIT went 0-for-3 with the power-play.  Both teams fired 24 shots on goal.
 
Melissa Rundlett scored the lone goal for Norwich.  Joanie Plamondon made 20 saves in defeat.
 
RIT never trailed in the contest, winning the tournament for the second straight year. 

RIT Head Scott McDonald was extremely pleased with how his team started the season with its performance this weekend.

"It's a great start to the season and is exactly what we wanted," said McDonald, now in his sixth season at RIT.  "We came out strong both nights and showed some mental toughness, getting over last year, and proving this is a new season.  The team competed so hard all weekend and set a positive tone to start the season."
 
Zach opened the scoring just over four minutes in, as a shot by #Ellesha Fortuna (Burlington, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas)# skipped off a Norwich defender and right to Zach in front, who beat Plamondon, who had committed to the original shot.
 
Rundlett tied the game just over a minute later, as she found herself alone in front of Chamberlain and roofed a shot over the RIT goalie's blocker.
 
Scoyne gave RIT the lead for good with 6:17 left in the period, as she intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, skated in and fired a low shot that handcuffed Plamondon and slid inside the right post.
 
Hiller scored her third goal in the last two goals with 5:35 left in the second period, deflecting a point shot from #Ali Hills (Honeoye Falls, NY)# from in close over the glove of Plamondon for the goal.  #Kolbee McCrea (Wawa, Ontario/Burlington Barracudas)# also assisted on the goal.
 
RIT held off a Norwich charge late in the second and early in the thirds, as the Cadets enjoyed a handful of power-plays.  Chamberlain was called upon to make a few crucial saves during that span.
 
Brown completed the scoring with 7:22 left, firing a shot from the high slot on the rush that handcuffed Plamondon and trickled over the line.  The goal was Brown's second of the season.

Yesterday, #Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects)# tallied two goals and an assist, while Hiller added a pair of goals, as the Tigers defeated No. 8 Manhattanville, 6-3 to open the season.
 
RIT is now 2-1 all-time against the Cadets.  RIT also defeated the Cadets, 3-1 at Kreitzberg Arena in the season opener last season. 
 
The Tigers return to action next weekend, as they host ECAC West foe Utica for a pair of games.  Both Saturday and Sunday's contests get underway at 3 p.m.