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February 26, 2012

Stevens named all-tournament, Purple Knights fall in ECAC Open consolation game

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MANCHESTER, N.H. - The fourth-seeded Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team fell to No. 3 Sacred Heart University, 2-0, in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Open Tournament consolation game on Sunday at Saint Anselm College's Sullivan Arena. After making 77 saves in two games against Division I squads over the weekend, junior Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) was among six players from the four participating institutions named to the all-tournament team.

The Purple Knights finish the season at 3-22-1, while the Pioneers end with an 11-17-1 mark. This was the third consecutive year Saint Michael's and Division I independent Sacred Heart have met in the ECAC Open Tournament consolation game.

Stevens finished with 39 saves for the Purple Knights, bringing her total to 884 on the year. After yielding two goals in the opening 9:13, Stevens blanked the Pioneers for the final 50-plus minutes.

Senior Tara Kent (Glenview, Ill./Chicago Young Americans) tallied one marker and added an assist for the Pioneers, while classmate Nicole Palazzo (Rocky Hill, Conn./Westminster) scored the other goal. Sophomore Alexius Schutt (Elk River, Minn./Elk River) stopped 38 shots for the shutout.

Kent struck at 2:39 of the opening period before Palazzo tallied at 9:13 to double the lead. The Purple Knights and Pioneers both finished with 12 shots in the frame. The Pioneers took 18 shots during the second period, but Stevens stopped them all, as she turned aside 28 shots in the first two periods to keep the Purple Knights down just two goals. The Purple Knights earned power plays late in the second period and another 7:03 into the third, but were unable to convert. They outshot Sacred Heart 13-11 in the final stanza.

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The Edmundite Catholic Liberal Arts College