Box Score PLYMOUTH, N.H. (Dec. 3) – Senior Mandy Manopla registered her third career hat-trick and 51st career point Saturday afternoon to lead Nichols College to a 4-1 victory over Plymouth State University in Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Women's East hockey action at Hanaway Rink. Nichols improved to 3-4-1 overall and 1-4-1 in the ECAC East.  PSU dropped to 0-4-2 both overall and in conference play.

With a shorthanded goal at 10:05 in the third period Manopla became the first Nichols women's ice hockey player to record 50 career points. The senior also tops the career charts with 82 games played, 30 goals and 21 assists.

Manopla gave the Bison a 1-0 lead with four minutes left in the opening frame, stealing a pass at the Panther blue line and scoring on a breakaway.  Junior Mary Fehr made it 2-0 at the 7:35 mark of the second period with a slap shot from the left point that snuck through the goalie's legs.  It was Fehr's first goal of the season.
           
PSU had six power play opportunities in the second period, out-shooting the Bison 10-8, but couldn't get the puck past sophomore Francesca Palazzo, who made 10 saves in the middle frame and finished with 22 for the game. 
           
The Bison pulled away in the third period.  Manopla tallied her second short-handed goal at 10:05, which was almost identical to her first as she stole the puck at the blue line and went in alone.  Sophomore Ali Myers broke up the shutout for PSU with her second goal of the season with nine minutes remaining, and Manopla finished off the scoring with her third of the game and seventh of the season at 16:12.
           
Shots on goal for the game were tied at 23-all.  Sophomore Nicole Crandle made 19 saves in goal for PSU.

Nichols entertains Wesleyan on Tuesday night in the 2011-12 home opener. Faceoff is slated for 7:40 p.m. at the June Rockwell Levy Rink in Harrisville, R.I.  Plymouth State continues its seven-game home stand next weekend with a pair of non-conference games at Hanaway Rink against Buffalo State College.  

Box Score

Release Courtesy Plymouth State Sports Information