ICE HOCKEY

Box Score 

NORTHFIELD, Vt. - Sonia Occhionero scored a pair of goals, and Monique Rafferty dished out four assists as No. 8-ranked Manhattanville College beat Norwich University, 7-2, in an ECAC East women's ice hockey game Sunday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

Katie Little added a goal and two assists for the Valiants, who improve to 15-41 (13-2-1 ECAC East).

Senior F Sophie Leclerc scored a goal and added an assist to lead the way for the Cadets, who fall to 13-4-3 (11-3-2 ECAC East).

Norwich opened the scoring midway through the first period when sophomore D Amanda Wilks scored at the 11:24 mark. The goal, which was Wilks' eighth of the season, was a blast from the blue line that Manhattanville goaltender Emy Cote never saw. Sophomore D Mollie Fitzpatrick and Leclerc picked up assists on the marker, which was scored while the teams were playing four on four.

The Cadets had the better of play throughout the first period, outshooting the Valiants by a 10-3 margin.

Manhattanville completely dominated the second period, however, outshooting Norwich 16-7 and scoring four times to take a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.

The Valiants tied the game at 1-1 early in the stanza when Erin Brawley scored a power play goal off a nice feed from Rafferty at the 1:23 mark. Manhattanville moved in front 2-1 just four minutes later when Occhionero netted her first goal of the contest at the 5:34 mark. Little and Rafferty picked up assists on the play. The Valiants continued their onslaught just three minutes later when Occhionero struck again at the 8:54 mark. Rafferty and Sarah Fullerton were credited with assists on the marker, which gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage.

Norwich trimmed its deficit to 3-2 at the 13:16 mark of the second period when Leclerc scored off a feed from junior F Brittane Michaud. Manhattanville reclaimed its two-goal edge late in the second period when Lynsey Schill scored off assists from Jackie Solomito and Holly Nonis at the 17:55 mark.

Manhattanville poured it on in the third period, scoring three more times to cement the victory. Little netted her team-leading 19th goal of the year at the 3:19 mark off a feed from Rafferty. Nonis scored less than three minutes later when she scored off an assist from Little at the 6:13 mark. Fullerton capped the scoring at the 10:08 mark when Fullerton scored off a pass from Alyssa Taylor.

Manhattanville outshot Norwich 27-26 in the game. Cote finished with 24 saves in the victory for the Valiants. Junior G Cindy Fortin made 20 stops for the Cadets in the loss.

Norwich returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 10, when the Cadets travel to Castleton, Vt., to take on in-state rival and conference foe Castleton State College at 7 p.m.