Women's Hockey | 3/19/2011 10:06:00 PM
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ROCHESTER, NY – The RIT women's hockey team (26-2-2) had its dream season ended by Norwich (25-4-1) 5-2 in the 2011 NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championship at Ritter Arena on Saturday evening. Norwich wins its first NCAA Championship in its fourth season as a program.
The Tigers complete their best season as a program, setting countless team records, including wins (26) and winning percentage (.900). RIT advanced to the National Championship game for the first time in program history.
Norwich's Melissa Rundlett recorded two first period goals, while Jillyane DeBus scored a disputed first period goal. Sophie Leclerc scored the two other goals for Norwich. In goal, Cindy Fortin, stopped 24 shots to earn the victory.
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Hannah Epstein (Amherst, NY/Nichols School) and
Kourtney Kunichika (Fullerton, CA/LA Selects) scored for the Tigers. Freshman goaltender (Pittsburgh, PA/Mountour)Laura Chamberlain (Norco, CA/LA Selects)# made 26 saves.
RIT allowed more than three goals and one power-play goal for the first time all-season. The Tigers allowed a pair of power-play goals in six chances, and scored one power-play tally in five power-play chances.
The Tigers allowed a pair of goals in the first 2:28 of the contest and could never recover.
RIT Head Coach #
Scott McDonald# was disappointed in the outcome, but very proud of what his team accomplished this season.
“Norwich was the better team today,” said McDonald. “It was two great teams going toe-to-toe, was just their day, and not ours. One off night can't take away what we accomplished this season. I'm proud of what our team did this season, and couldn't ask for anything more out of our players.”
The Cadets scored twice in a 2:28 span to open the game, stunning the Ritter Arena faithful. Rundlett came out of the corner and beat Chamberlain between the legs just 1:25 into the contest.
Just 1:03 later, DeBus wired a shot that went off the crossbar and out and was not ruled a goal on the ice. Play resumed for another minute until a stoppage in play. The referees conferred with the goal judge and ruled it a goal.
“With RIT being so talented, the quick start was what we needed,” said Norwich Head Coach Mark Bolding. “We knew RIT is so deadly offensively, and were able to play strong defensively.
Epstein scored her first goal and point since Dec. 3, jamming home a rebound after a shot by #
Kylie Mazzetta (Lakewood, CO/Colorado Selects)# was blocked in tight. Epstein's first shot was blocked by Fortin, but she was alone to tally on the rebound, her seventh goal of the year.
Rundlett capped off the hat-trick at the 15:16 mark, ripping a shot from the slot past Chamberlain for her 19th tally of the season.
RIT came back and cut the Norwich lead to 3-2 with 59 seconds left in the period, as Kunichika capped off a nifty three-way passing play on the power-play for her 15th goal of the year. #
Ariane Yokoyama (Van Nuys, CA/LA Selects) fed
Tenecia Hiller (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Thunder)# at the side of the net, with Hiller wiring a pass across the crease to Kunichika, who had a wide open net and made no mistake.
RIT out-shot Norwich 14-3 and had four power-plays in the second period, but could not find the back of the net, as Norwich scored the only goal of the period to take a 4-2 lead into the intermission.
Leclerc tallied the only goal of the period, as Julie Fortier won a face-off forward and found the senior forward, who backhanded a wrist shot over the shoulder of Chamberlain for her 25th goal of the season.
Leclerc scored her second of the game and 26th goal of the season early in the third period on a power-play to give Norwich a 5-2 lead.
RIT battled to the final buzzer, but could not solve the Cadets.
RIT defeated Norwich, 3-1 in the season-opening of the 2010-11 season, on Oct. 29, behind two goals from Stack.
Yesterday, RIT defeated Middlebury 5-2, and Norwich upended Gustavis Adolphus, 5-0 to reach the championship game.
All Tournament Team
Sophie Leclerc, F, Norwich
Julie Fortier, F, Norwich
Melissa Rundlett, F, Norwich
Lauren Greer, F, Middlebury
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Traci Galbraith (Oakville, Ontario/Burlington Jr. Barracudas)#, D, RIT
Cindy Fortin, G, Norwich
