Box Score: http://smcathletics.com/sports/wice/2010-11/files/wnorstm.htm.

Photos (taken by Mary Ann Graf): http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/wice/2010-11/photos/0011/index.

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College women's hockey team (2-13-1, 1-7-1 ECAC East) suffered a tough 10-0 loss to #3 Norwich at Cairns Arena on Friday in the first game of a home-away weekend series. The Cadets, still undefeated in Eastern College Athletic Conference East play, controlled the puck for the majority of the game and wore out the Purple Knights with a whopping 60-11 shot advantage.

The Cadets had the Purple Knights on their heels in the first period, as Norwich rattled off 16 shots on goal and scored twice. Senior Sophie Leclerc (Barre, Vt./Spaulding), the nation's leading point-getter in Division III, opened the scoring with an unassisted wrist shot from the left wing with two defenders in tow. Junior Julie Fortier (Saint-Malachie, Quebec/Levis Lauzon) netted the Cadets' second goal when she gathered a rebound in front of the net from junior Melissa Rundlett (Saco, Maine/Kents Hill), skated to her stick side and deposited her seventh goal of the season.

Norwich then exploded for five goals in the second period, earning a 7-0 lead heading into the final frame. Rundlett began the attack with a rebound goal in the crease, and senior Brittane Michaud (Lewiston, Maine/St. Dominic's) followed with a slap shot goal from the top of the left circle during the only power play of the game. Senior Sarah Scardino (Stoughton, Mass./Kents Hill) extended the lead with a 2-on-1 breakaway goal, flipping in a shot off a keen pass from sophomore Stephanie Invernizzi (Hingham, Mass./Hingham) as she blazed down the right wing. Fortier made it back-to-back breakaway goals when she broke away from the defense and slipped in a goal as she crashed into the net at full speed. Sophomore Jillyane DeBus (Howell, Mich./Elmira College) concluded the second-period onslaught with a slick backhanded goal while gliding by the crease.

DeBus netted her second goal of the game with the first of three third period goals, and freshman Haley Gibson (Richmond, Ontario/Ontario Hockey Academy) notched her first career goal to put the Cadets up 9-0. Invernizzi put an exclamation point on the win when she snuck a shot through a scrambling Saint Michael's defense to send the Norwich lead into double digits.

Senior Alyssia Goldman (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Hebron Academy) served a period an a half in net and made 23 saves before sophomore Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) filled in, making 27 stops. For Norwich, senior goalie Cindy Fortin (Quebec City, Quebec/John Abbott College) stopped all 11 Saint Michael's shots to remain unbeaten on the year.

The Purple Knights and the Cadets face off again tomorrow, when they head to Norwich for a 7 p.m. rematch.

GAME SUMMARY

                                    1          2          3          Total
Norwich                       2          5          3          10                                
Saint Michael's            0          0          0          0                     

SCORING

First Period: 1. NOR, Leclerc, 6:12. 2. NOR, Fortier (Rundlett, Lortie), 16:18.

Second Period: 3. NOR, Rundlett (Lamarre, Fortier), 1:01. 4. NOR, Michaud (Sharman, Lynn), 5:26. 5. NOR, Scardino (Invernizzi, Perez), 6:23. 6. NOR, Fortier (Rundlett), 7:14. 7. NOR, DeBus (Leclerc, Wilks), 8:54.

Third Period: 8. NOR, DeBus (Michaud) 9:24. 9. NOR, Gibson (Kadel), 15:38. 10. NOR, Invernizzi (Scardino, Perez), 18:42.

Shots on Goal: NOR (60), STM (11)                                                                                                                              

Saves: NOR, Fortin, 60:00 (11 saves); SMC, Goldman, 27:14 (23 saves), Stevens, 32:45 (27 saves).

-PURPLEKNIGHTS-