Williamstown, MA -- Williams was looking to capture a win in their last game before winter break, however, the Ephs fell to the nation's fifth ranked team, the Soaring Eagles of Elmira College, Saturday night by a score of 6-0.
Shot count was a huge factor in the game and was very indicative of the scoreline. The Ephs were out shot in all three periods, and the Soaring Eagles led in shots on the night 40-18 after the final buzzer sounded.
Williams goaltender, Chloe Billadeau '15, saved thirty four of the forty shots she was peppered with. Her thirty plus save performance Saturday night was not enough for the win. Eph head coach Meghan Gillis said of her goaltender, "Chloe faced a lot of shots tonight from a lot of different angles and battled to keep the game within reach for the full game."
The beginning of the game looked like the fans were in store for a great hockey game, back and forth as both teams were going at each other tooth and nail.
Elmira struck first only a little over eight minutes in at the 11:36 mark when senior captain, Caitlin Metcalf, was able to find the back of the net during a scrum out front in the slot when Billadeau was on her back.
The Soaring Eagles capitalized again less than three minutes later at the 8:58 mark when freshman Taylor Steadman, after catching a pass down the wing from captain Katie Gaskin, beat Billadeau over her shoulder into the top right corner of the net to make the score 2-0 in favor of Elmira.
The Soaring Eagles outshot the Ephs 13-3 in the first period, generating many other scoring chances, none of which found the back of the net.
Elmira did not take long to pick up where they left off, scoring only twenty-one seconds into the second period (19:39). Billadeau was able to stop the initial shot from the point but was not able to stop the rebound shot that immediately followed by Lindsay Burrows who one-timed the rebound into the back of the net. Burrows did not wait long for her second goal of the game tallying again with 16:45 remaining in the period when she let go a blast from the point that found its way through traffic and just under the crossbar.
The Ephs were able to generate scoring chances throughout the game but never found a way to beat Elmira goaltender Lauren Sullivan.
Elmira was not quite done for the period when they struck again with 10:28 left in the period to make the score 5-0. Billadeau was not able to cover up the initial shot from the point and freshman Audrey Juneau was on the doorstep to slam the puck home.
Following the goal, the Ephs went on the power play after a too many players on the ice penalty was called against Elmira. Williams was able to generate a few chances but none that came to fruition.
The Ephs headed into the second intermission down 5-0.
The Ephs came out fast in the third period. The offensive line of Andree Heller '15, Natalie Bernstein '16, and Aimee Dennett '13 posed a formidable forecheck that Elmira had a tough time handling. Williams was able to put nine shots on target but Sullivan was a stone wall between the pipes, not surrendering any goals on the eighteen shots she faced.
The Soaring Eagles were able to net a sixth and final goal when Lindsay Burrows was able to complete her hat-trick with 1:27 left in regulation on a low wrister that beat Billadeau short side.
When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 6-0 in favor of Elmira.
Coach Gillis said of her team, "It's tough playing the fifth ranked team in the country with a shortened bench, however, the group of girls that played tonight played hard and never gave up until the final whistle. It's good to play teams like this because it puts us in a good position to play tough NESCAC teams come January."
With everyone going on winter break for the holidays, the Ephs won't take the ice again for quite some time. The Ephs head into the holidays with an overall record of 4-3 overall, 1-1 in NESCAC play. Their next game is against NESCAC opponent, Trinity, on January 4th at home at 7 pm.
