Norwich Eliminates Salem State in Women's NEHC Quarterfinals

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – The Norwich University women's ice hockey team had nine different goal scorers in a 9-0 victory over Salem State on Saturday in the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Quarterfinals at Kreitzberg Arena.

Senior forward Amanda Conway (Methuen, Mass.) and freshman forward Julia Masotta (Tewksbury, Mass.) each had a goal and three assists to lead the offense as Norwich had 14 different skaters get on the scoresheet.

Norwich (20-4-2) advanced to the NEHC semifinals for the 12^th straight season with the victory and will face No. 7 seed Plymouth State on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 3 p.m. in Kreitzberg Arena. Plymouth State upset No. 2 Castleton 2-1 at Spartan Arena on Saturday.

Masotta opened the scoring just 1:05 into the first period with her ninth goal of the season off assists from Morgan Tefft (Redwood City, Calif.) and Conway. Conway picked up the second assist on the goal after beating a Salem State player to the puck and pushing it to Masotta at the top of the left faceoff circle for her 176^th career point, which broke Julie Fortier's '12 previous program record.

Masotta worked a give and go with Tefft before burying the puck in the net for what proved to be the game-winning goal.

Sophie McGovern (Hermantown, Minn.) pushed the lead to 2-0 just 2:42 later with her 16^th goal of the season off assists from Conway and Masotta.

Senior Kelley Madden (Novelty, Ohio) and freshman forward Mikah Baptiste (Ottawa, Ontario) scored goals at the 11:28 and the 14:32 mark of the first period to increase the lead to 4-0 after 20 minutes.

Madden scored her 10^th goal of the season off assists from Emma O'Neill (Hamburg, N.Y.) and Alyssa Hulst (Scarborough, Maine), while Baptiste scored her seventh of the year off assists from Samantha Benoit (Bow, N.H.) and Tefft.

Norwich stayed on the gas pedal to open the second period with Benoit tapping home a loose rebound in the crease after Salem State goalie Dana Smullen made an initial save on Conway's shot. Masotta picked up the secondary assist on the goal.

Guay made it 6-0 at the 11:32 mark of the second period with a goal of the year candidate after she toe-dragged around a Salem State defender to get in on a breakaway against Smullen. She then went forehand, backhand and tucked it up just underneath the cross bar for her 15^th goal of the season. Maddi Blauth (Pennington, N.J.) picked up the assist after playing the puck ahead to Guay in the neutral zone.

Conway made it 7-0, scoring on a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play with Masotta and McGovern on a cycle in the corner for her team and NCAA-leading 26^th goal of the year.

KC Herne (Akwesasne, N.Y.) scored her second goal in as many games at the 17:39 mark of the second period off assists from Blossom Truel (Stratford, Wis.) and Hulst.

Hulst capped the scoring at the at the 18:13 mark of the middle frame with her fifth goal of the year off assists from Truel and Carley Sedlar (Howell, Mich.).

Norwich outshot Salem State 58-8 in the game. Sophomore Alexa Berg (West Fargo, N.D.) stopped all eight shots she faced for her sixth shutout of the season.

Norwich improved to 6-0-0 all-time vs. Salem State and has downed the Vikings two straight years in the NEHC Quarterfinals.

The Cadets also extended their unbeaten streak to 11 straight games with the victory. 

(Courtesy Norwich Sports Information)