NORTHFIELD, Vt.- A late comeback attempt by the Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team comes up just short, as they fell to regional rival Plattsburgh State Monday afternoon in the Championship game of the 14^th Annual East West Classic at Kreitzberg Arena.

After a brief feeling out period early, the two teams traded unsuccessful power plays in the opening minutes. After a brief flurry for the Cadets, the Cardinals countered with pressure of their own towards Leocadia Clark (Stowe, Vt.). Clark made several stops in the final minute to keep the game scoreless at the break.

Plattsburgh continued to hold the momentum in the second stanza, aided by back-to-back Norwich penalties with both being successfully killed off. As it looked like the Cadets were about to grab the momentum, the Cardinals struck twice in 1:45. First came a wrister from Seoyoung Yoo off a turnover, followed by a Mae Olshansky goal off a cross-ice feed from Molly Riggi to put Plattsburgh ahead. The two sides traded opportunities in the final five minutes, but the two-goal lead stood at intermission with Norwich on a man advantage that carried over.

Soon after the Cardinals finished off the kill, the Cadets finally broke through. Neris Archambault (Pepperell, Mass.) swiped the puck off the stick of a Plattsburgh attacker and sprung an odd man rush the other way involving Jenna Nikles (Riley, Mich.) and Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.). Nikles took the shot and beat Cardinal netminder Chloe Lewis to draw Norwich within one. After another successful penalty kill, Plattsburgh would regain the two-goal lead Riggi cleaning up a Bridget Orr rebound.

In the dying minutes, Clark was summoned to the bench for an extra attacker, eventually leading to the Cadets closing the gap again. Off a faceoff win by Olivia Boyer (Saint Paul, Minn.), Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.) would take a shot that would be blocked, but the second chance found the top corner making it a one goal game with 1:20 remaining. In the last minute, Clark would be pulled again as Norwich sought the equalizer, but Sydnee Francis sank the empty netter to close out the contest. Earning All-Tournament plaudits for the Cadets were Nikles and Olivia King (Old Town, Maine).

Norwich will now resume New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) competition on Friday Jan. 10 when they travel to intrastate rival Vermont State Castleton for a weekend series beginning at 6 PM.