Plattsburgh, N.Y. - The Colby College Women's Ice Hockey team fell to #2 Plattsburgh State in the round of eight Saturday afternoon by a score of 3-2.  The Cardinals advance to the final four hosted at Middlebury College in search of their eighth National title.  

The host Cardinals have been arguably the most potent offensive team across the country this season.  Averaging almost 50 shots per game, and almost six goals per game, Plattsburgh State has won five of the last six titles played (the tournament was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19).  The Cardinals have an amazing 36% conversion rate on power plays, and their top scorer, Annie Katonka, entered the playoff game leading the country with 32 goals across 24 games played.  

During the first period, Colby matched the Cardinals' speed and athleticism on the ice, playing aggressive defense and limiting second-attempt shots on Mule goaltender Nina Prunster.  Plattsburgh State broke into the scoring with six minutes to play in the period, as Katonka found the back of the net on a dribbler past a screened Prunster.  Halfway through the second period, the hosts tallied their second goal of the match, extending the lead to 2-0 and giving the hometown crowd confidence that this would be another high-scoring affair.  

Meg Rittenhouse and her teammates quieted the arena with two minutes to play in the second frame, nailing home a power play slap shot that brought the game within one.  The Mules kept the pressure on in the third frame, and senior Lexi Cafiero hammered home a rebound with seven minutes to play, tying the game and sending the traveling Mules fans into an uproar.  The teams played with high intensity for the remainder of the period, but with a 2-2 deadlock the game was sent to overtime.  

On the season, Plattsburgh State was 1-2-1 in overtime matches, while the Mules were 2-1-1, meaning this game was anybody's to win.  Three minutes into the extra frame, Katonka forced a turnover deep in Colby's end, split the defenders to the goal, and put on a brilliant move around the Mule goalie for the game-winner.  

Nina Prünster was relentless in net for Colby, setting a career-high with 47 saves.  The scores by Rittenhouse and Cafiero were their team-leading 12th goals of the season.  Colby's defense held the juggernaut offense of the Cardinals to only two goals in regulation, and held the hosts scoreless on the power play (0-2) on nine shots.  

Colby ends the season 16-6-1, but the Mules reset the standard in many areas for this program.  Colby's 16 wins marks the most in program history.  The Mules placed four members on the All-NESCAC team for the first time, including the program's first Rookie of the Year (Rittenhouse).  The tournament birth was also a first time for the Women's Ice Hockey team, earning a first-round bye that placed them directly into the Elite Eight.  

Hear from Head Coach Holley Tyng, and captains Lexi Cafiero and Nina Prünster in the post-game press conference below. 

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