NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Coming into Saturday afternoon's ECAC East semifinal against Southern Maine, the Norwich women's ice hockey team had already been playing well as they entered the game on a 16-game unbeaten streak.

However, the Cadets (23-3-1) took their game to an even higher level by scoring four goals in the first period to take Southern Maine out of it early and cruise to a 7-0 win.

With the win, Norwich advances to the ECAC East Championship game for the third straight year where it will take on arch-rival Manhattanville, who came back to beat UMass-Boston 2-1 in Saturday's other semifinal game.

The Renee Lortie/Melissa Rundlett/Julie Fortier line continued its dominance as of late for the Cadets as the trio combined to score four of Norwich's seven goals.

Lortie and Rundlett each tallied two goals, while Fortier chipped in four primary assists to lead the NU offense.

Norwich got on the board at the 10:39 mark of the first period when Jillayne DeBus punched home her 15^th goal of the season off a weak-side rebound after an initial shot from Caitie Banfield at the point was turned aside by Southern Maine goaltender Jordan Lee.

Just 1:17 later, Brittane Michaud scored her sixth goal of the season and second of the ECAC East Tournament off a scramble in front with assists from Marie-Philip Guay and Sophie Leclerc.

Lortie capped the first period scoring with both of her goals coming off primary assists from Fortier. She scored at 17:58 and the added a beautiful redirection from the bottom of the left face-off circle that beat Lee high and glove side after Fortier fed the puck from behind the goal line.

Jacqueline Perez made it 5-0 Norwich at the 3:05 mark of the first period off an assist from Stephanie Invernizzi.

Rundlett capped the scoring with her two goals, both coming off primary assists from Fortier at the 5:59 mark of the second period and the 2:05 mark of the third period.

Norwich senior goaltender Cindy Fortin picked up her second consecutive shutout turning aside all 11 shots she faced. She now has four shutouts on the season and extended her consecutive minute shutout streak to 166:55. Fortin won her 16^th straight game and improved to 16-1-0 on the season.

Lee made 22 saves in goal for the Huskies to drop to 8-17-2 on the year.

The Cadets were 2-for-5 on the power play, while Southern Maine was 0-for-4.

Norwich will meet Manhattanville in the ECAC East Championship game at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena. The Cadets beat the Valiants for the first time on home ice on Feb. 19, coming from two goals down to win 4-2. Manhattanville leads the all-time series 6-2-0 and this will be the two programs first-ever meeting in the ECAC East Finals.