NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's ice hockey team put up a valiant fight, but ultimately succumbed to defending NCAA Division III national champion Plattsburgh State by a score of 2-1 in the 2021 Northfield Savings Bank East-West Hockey Classic Championship at Kreitzberg Arena. 

Senior goalie Alexa Berg (West Fargo, N.D.) tied a career-high with 37 saves to keep Norwich in it, but the Cadets couldn't find an equalizing goal and fell in their own tournament championship in just their second appearance in the final game. 

Junior Mikah Baptiste (Ottawa, Ontario) scored on the power play in the second period to tie the game up at 1-1, but that was the only goal the Cadets were able to muster against East-West Hockey Classic Most Valuable Player Chloe Beaubin. The Plattsburgh State goalie made 24 saves in the championship to follow up her 29 saves on 30 shots vs. Elmira in the semifinals to earn top player honors. 

Plattsburgh State (10-2-0, 7-0-0 NEWHL) struck first blood at the 15:04 mark of the first period with Mae Olshansky picking off a pass in the Norwich defensive zone, dangling through two Norwich defenders and then roofing a back hand over Berg's shoulder near post for a highlight-reel goal. 

Baptiste equalized for Norwich at the 7:30 mark, slapping a puck low through a screen in front of Beaubin that found the back of the net for her seventh goal of the season. Taylor Girouard (Burlington, Mass.) and Ingrid Holstad-Berge (Stavanger, Norway) picked up assists on the goal after Girouard fed the puck down to Holstad-Berge along the goal line and then Holstad-Berge quickly passed the puck back to Baptiste in the high slot.  

Plattsburgh State scored the game-winning goal at the 15:24 mark of the second period with Kailtin Drew-Mead shoveling home a loose puck on the doorstep of the crease off assists from Olshansky and Sierra Benjamin. Berg made a stop initially but was unable to control the rebound and eventually the puck kicked out to Drew-Mead all along on the left goal post to put it past Berg and regain the Cardinal lead. 

Norwich carried the play for large portions of the second period, but still trailed by one heading to the third. Plattsburgh outshot Norwich 17-6 in the third period and 39-25 overall to sweep the season series with the Cadets. 

Sunday's matchups ironically were both set to be 2020 NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinal games prior to the tournament being canceled due to COVID-19. Elmira and Adrian skated to a 2-2 tie in the consolation game. 

Beaubin was joined on the All-Tournament team by Olshansky and Annie Katonka from Plattsburgh State. Norwich's Berg and senior defenseman Morgan Tefft (Redwood City, Calif.), Adrian's Jocelin Hudanish and Elmira's Morgan Mordini rounded out the All-Tournament team selections. 

Plattsburgh State claimed its sixth East-West Hockey Classic title in their ninth appearance. The Cardinals have won the most titles in the Classic's history and sport a remarkable 15-1-2 record against a field that annually features four top-10 ranked teams in the country. 

Norwich is off until the second semester when they will resume NEHC league play vs. William Smith on Friday, Jan. 7 and then host a big matchup with Elmira on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 3 p.m. The weekend will also be Norwich women's hockey's Alumni Weekend.