The second-ranked Norwich Women's Ice Hockey team returns to the national stage Saturday afternoon, hosting No. 7 Hamline University in the NCAA Quarterfinal inside Kreitzberg Arena.

After earning a first-round bye, the Cadets will play their first NCAA Tournament game on home ice since the 2018 National Championship. The matchup marks just the second all-time meeting between the two programs and the first since their showdown in the 2018 Frozen Four.

Playoff Runs
Norwich enters the NCAA Tournament fresh off capturing the inaugural Little East Conference championship.

The Cadets opened postseason play with a 4-2 semifinal victory over Vermont State Castleton, erupting for four second-period goals to take control. Norwich followed with a 3-1 win over UMass Boston in the championship game. After the teams were tied at one entering the third period, Alex Leslie (Irishtown, N.B.) delivered the go-ahead power-play goal with under three minutes remaining before Breanna Ricker (Laconia, N.H.) added an empty-net tally to seal the title.

Hamline navigated a different path to the national tournament. After earning a bye in the MIAC Tournament quarterfinals, the Pipers fell to eventual champion Saint Benedict in the semifinals, 4-2. Hamline rebounded in the NCAA First Round, hosting Endicott and earning a convincing 3-0 shutout victory while outshooting the Gulls 44-19.

Tale of the Tape

Stat Category	#2 Norwich	#7 Hamline
Record	25-2 (18-0 LEC)	21-5-1 (14-3-1 MIAC)
Goals/Game	4.8	4.4
Goals Against/Game	0.8	1.8
Power Play	30.7%	24.4%
Penalty Kill	90.9%	90.9%
Team Save %	.943	.922

 
Norwich Leaders
The Cadets boast one of the deepest rosters in Division III, highlighted by 10 All-Conference selections.

Two-time LEC Player of the Year and two-time All-American Livia Brooks (Walpole, Mass.) leads the attack, joined by First Team All-LEC honorees Olivia Boyer (Saint Paul, Minn.),  Ricker, and Geena Cookinham (Gilmanton, N.H.). Anna Lisac (Euclid, Ohio) adds further depth as a Second Team selection.

On the blue line, Norwich is anchored by LEC Rookie of the Year Maggie Hunter (Royal Oak, Mich.), First Team honoree Leslie, and Second Team selection Lauren Tuzik (Frankfort, Ill.), forming one of the top defensive corps in the country.
About the Pipers
Hamline features one of the most explosive offenses in Division III, totaling 118 goals this season — 34 more than the next-highest team in the MIAC.

The Pipers are led by junior defenseman Abigail Chamernick (MIAC All-Conference) and MIAC Rookie of the Year Nina Thorson. At the same time, sophomore forward Ashlyn Abrahamson provides additional scoring punch after a two-goal performance in the NCAA First Round. Ellie Newpower (D) and Annabel Mehta (All-Tournament Team) also play key roles for Hamline.

Between the Pipes
Senior netminder Madison Brunet continues to anchor the nation's top-scoring defense for Norwich. Brunet ranks second nationally with a 0.91 goals-against average and holds a .937 save percentage, while helping the Cadets lead Division III with 13 team shutouts.

Hamline turns to Kendra Nordick, who has logged the majority of minutes in goal this season, posting a 1.94 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage, and three shutouts.

What's at Stake
With a berth in the NCAA Frozen Four on the line, two nationally ranked programs will collide in Northfield in what promises to be one of the premier matchups of the quarterfinal round, with the winner advancing to face the victor of the Nazareth/Wilkes quarterfinal.