ELMIRA, N.Y. – The third-ranked Elmira College women’s ice hockey program will face top-ranked Middlebury College on the road in a semifinal matchup on Friday, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. Middlebury will host the remaining rounds of the 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship and will offer free admission for all games this weekend in honor of the 50th anniversary of Title IX.
The four remaining teams in the 2022 NCAA Division III Women’s Ice Hockey Championship include No. 1 Middlebury, No. 2 Plattsburgh, No. 3 Elmira, and No. 5 Gustavus Adolphus. Plattsburgh has captured five of the last six national titles, including four straight from 2014-17. Elmira, who has three national titles in program history, most recently raised the national championship trophy in 2013 after defeating Middlebury, 1-0. The last time that Middlebury captured the national title was in 2006 after the Panthers won it all three straight years (2004-06). Gustavus Adolphus is searching for its first trip to the national championship contest after hosting the final four during the 2010 season.
Elmira dropped a close 2-1 decision against the Panthers back on November 27, 2021, as Mary McCafferty ’22 scored a power-play goal in the second period for the Soaring Eagles. Middlebury responded with a pair of late goals in the second period as Kylie Quinlan and Madie Leidt both scored for the Panthers. Despite suffering just one of her two losses on the season, Leonie-Louise Kuehberger ’25 recorded 32 saves on 34 shots in the contest for the Purple & Gold. In net for the Panthers, Sophia Merageas stopped 29 of the 30 shots that she faced.Â
This will be the fifth meeting between Elmira and Middlebury in the NCAA Tournament, while the Panthers hold an 11-10-4 record in the head-to-head series against the Soaring Eagles dating back to the inaugural matchup on December 7, 2002. Elmira has won each of the last two postseason meetings against the Panthers, with EC most recently defeating Middlebury, 4-1, in the 2016 NCAA DIII third-place contest. The two programs met for the national championship contest in 2013 as the Soaring Eagles recorded a 1-0 shutout victory.Â
Middlebury won each of the first two postseason contests against Elmira as the Panthers recorded a 2-1 victory in the quarterfinals during the 2004 tournament and followed with a 4-3 victory in the 2005 national championship game. This is the first trip back to the semifinals for Middlebury since the 2016 season and ninth overall in program history. For Elmira, this is the 11th overall semifinal appearance in program history, and the first since the 2016 season.Â
Elmira advanced in the tournament after defeating Nazareth, 2-1, in the quarterfinal round last Saturday at Bill Gray’s Iceplex. The Soaring Eagles captured their first New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Championship after defeating Castleton at home, 4-0. EC went 17-0 during the regular season against NEHC opponents while compiling an overall record of 24-2-1 entering the tournament. Middlebury advanced in the tournament after blanking Endicott, 4-0, in the quarterfinal round last Saturday at home. The Panthers captured the NESCAC Championship after defeating Amherst College at home, 2-0. Middlebury went 15-0 during the regular season against NESCAC opponents while compiling an overall record of 24-0-0 entering the tournament.
Two semifinal games will be played on Friday, March 18 at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. with both winners advancing to the national championship game on Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. The two remaining teams will play on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in the third-place contest.
For more information, including live webcasting of the semifinals, third-place game, and final, visit ncaa.com.
