Third-ranked Middlebury mounted a late comeback attempt, but a pair of second-period goals by second-ranked Plattsburgh State proved to be the difference in the Cardinals' 4-3 win over the Panthers in Kenyon Arena. Middlebury (18-3-3), who sees its 10-game winning and 18-game unbeaten streaks (15-0-3) come to end, returns to the home ice next Saturday when it opens NESCAC Tournament action with a quarterfinal game, while Plattsburgh State (21-2-2) begins ECAC West Tournament action in two weeks.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead in the opening period. Following a Middlebury turnover behind their own net, Plattsburgh State's Morgan MacInnis collected the puck and fed Katelyn Turk in front, who poked it in at the 2:06 mark. A little less than eight minutes later, the Panthers tied the contest at 1-1 on the powerplay. Katie Mandigo tipped a pass into the back of the net for her eighth of the season via stick-to-stick passes from Katie Sullivan and Kate Moreau.

Middlebury nearly grabbed the lead a minute later, but a goal was disallowed when a Panther skated into the crease just before the puck touched the back of the net. Back-to-back saves by Middlebury goalie Madeline Marsh on a breakaway from Plattsburgh State's Kayla Meneghin and Melissa Sheeran in the 15th minute kept the game tied at 1-1. The visitors held a narrow 10-9 shot advantage in the fast-paced opening period.

In the second stanza, Plattsburgh took a 2-1 lead at a little less than four minutes into play. Following a Middlebury offensive rush and a loose puck in front of the Cardinal net, Shannon Stewart settled the puck out of the air. Bridget Balisy gathered the pass from Stewart, worked her way down the length of the ice, lifting a wrister over the shoulder of Marsh. In the final seconds of the period, Stewart tallied her 18th of the season after Jordan Lipson fed her from behind the net.

Minutes into the final period, Sullivan wristed a shot from the left point to the far side past Cardinal goalie Camille Leonard, pulling the hosts to within one (3-2) at 7:30. Just 45 seconds later, a pair of Plattsburgh State shots were turned away by Marsh, keeping the Panthers within striking distance.

With a little more than seven minutes left in regulation, Giovanna Senese scored what proved to be the game-winner on a wrister from the left point that beat Marsh short side.

With Marsh pulled from her crease, Middlebury utilized the extra skater and pulled to within one (4-3) at 17:31. Battling for position in front, Sullivan scored her second of the period when she poked the loose puck into the net following attempts by both Janka Hlinka and Jessica Young on the doorstep. The Panthers had a pair of shots in the final minute, but were unable to tally the equalizer.

Plattsburgh State held a 31-24 advantage in shots for the game. Marsh tallied 27 saves in the contest, while Leonard was credited with 21 stops for the Cardinals.

WCAX HIGHLIGHTS