Box Score NORTHFIELD, Vt. (Feb. 26) – The top-seeded Norwich University women's ice hockey team scored four third-period goals en route to an 8-0 victory over eighth-seeded Nichols in the ECAC Women's East Quarterfinals at Kreitzberg Arena Saturday afternoon. The Cadets win their 12th straight game and improve to 22-3-1, while Nichols sees its season end at 4-21-0.

Norwich carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission on goals from Sarianne Lynn and Marie-Philip Guay just over four minutes apart. Julie Fortier swung the puck around from behind the left side of the net where Nichols goaltender Melissa Mansfield (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) was down to make the save, but Lynn snuck the puck around into the open right side of the net for a power-play score at 4:30. Guay caught Francesca Palazzo (Bernardston, Mass.) recovering from a netfront save, scoring from the right point after Sarah Scardino fed it out from the slot off the initial rebound.

The Cadets scored twice more in the second period, wasting little time before edging ahead, 3-0, on a Haley Gibson goal just 1:49 into the stanza. Caitie Banfield carried the puck past a Nichols defender and into the slot after a Norwich won the draw and after Palazzo denied her shot, Gibson hit a one-timer from the right circle. Renee Lortie made it 4-0 at 11:27, despite 13 saves from Palazzo in the period. A turnover deep inside Nichols territory proved costly as Lortie skated in and faked left before slipping it in on her forehand inside the right post.

Nichols had a solid shorthanded attempt late in the frame as Courtney Carey (Belmont, Mass.) wound up from the left circle with Mandy Manopla (West Palm Beach, Fla.) lined up in front for a tip, but Norwich goaltender Cindy Fortin deflected the puck away.

Norwich finished out the final stanza with three goals, a Brittane Michaud wrister that sailed past Palazzo's glove at 4:59. Meghan Papagno jammed a centering pass from Scardino inside the left post to make it 6-0 at 6:49. Lynn added a power-play goal at 15:22 after walking in from the right point and wristing it high past Christine Rigosi (Ridgewood, N.Y.), who came in net after Papagno's score. Papagno capped the scoring with a backhanded redirect from Jillyan DeBus at 17:38.

Nichols was afforded a 24-second two-skater advantage just past the midpoint of the third, but it wasn't until there were 37 seconds left in the in the ensuing five-on-four that the Bison threatened. Ashley O'Donnell (North Scituate, R.I.) sent the puck across to Carey at the blueline, and Cheryl Pitts (Wakefield, Mass.) was waiting at the doorstep to test Fortin.

Mansfield was charged with the loss for Nichols, making three saves and allowing a goal before giving way to Palazzo who made 29 stops and five goals allowed in 43 minutes. Rigosi finished out the game with nine saves while allowing two scores. Fortin backstopped the Cadets into the semifinals with 10 saves. Norwich will host the semifinal and championship rounds on March 5-6.

Box Score