NORTHFIELD, Vt. - The Saint Michael's College women's ice hockey team held nationally-ranked Norwich University off the scoreboard until late in the second period on Thursday during an eventual 6-0 setback at Kreitzberg Arena. The Purple Knights are now 1-12-1 overall and 0-9-1 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) East, while the Cadets are 12-1-1 and 9-0-1.

The teams met for the second time in seven days, with the Purple and Gold yielding three fewer goals than last week, and to six fewer markers during the opening two periods. The U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) Division III national poll has the Cadets, the defending Division III national champ, ranked second in the country.

Saint Michael's junior Erin Stevens (Watertown, Conn./Connecticut Polar Bears) turning aside 46 shots for the second straight week, holding the hosts scoreless for the first 35:24.

Senior Julie Fortier (Saint-Malachie, Quebec/Levis Lauzon) led Norwich with two goals, while classmate Amanda Wilks (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Warner School) and junior Jillayne DeBus (Howell, Mich./Elmira) each contributed one goal and one assist. Senior Sarianne Lynn (Wethersfield, Conn./Saint Lawrence) dished out two helpers, and sophomore Kelly Fisk (Hannibal, N.Y./Syracuse Nationals) blocked all 11 shots sent her way for the shutout.

Stevens made 11 saves in the opening stanza during a scoreless game before stopping another 19 shots in the second, yielding only Fortier's power-play marker after 15:25. Norwich broke the game open with five goals in a 9:25 stretch of the final stanza, including three early goals 4:39 apart.

The Purple Knights return to action on Friday, January 20, when they host Nichols College at 4 p.m.