Pine Valley, N.Y. - The Trinity College women's hockey team fell late to the No. 2 ranked Elmira Soaring Eagles on Saturday afternoon at the Murray Athletic Center in Pine Valley. Elmira scored two goals in the last five minutes of the third period to put away Trinity as the Bantams fall to 1-5-1 in their final game of the calendar year. Elmira improves to 7-0-1 overall with the victory. 

The Soaring Eagles outshot Trinity, 39-18, on the afternoon as Bantam junior goalie Jess Thulin (North Reading, Mass.) recorded 37 saves despite the loss. Elmira goalie Kelcey Crawford (Purcelleville, Va.) tallied 18 saves in the clean sheet effort.

A fantastic stop by Thulin was featured on local TV

Despite the shot advantage, Trinity came out of the gates the aggressor as they fired five straight shots within the first three minutes without an Elmira chance. Senior tri-captain Jessica Stowell (Hadley, Mass.) led the visitors with a pair of shots in the first frame while Elmira defender Kristin Chivers (Antioch, Ill.) kept Trinity's defense busy, firing five shots in the first period.

Elmira's defense put the clamps on the Bantams in the second period, limiting Trinity to just two total shots. Trinity's defense held their own though, as Elmira earned four penalties in the second stanza but the Bantam penalty kill unit kept them off the scoreboard to preserve the scoreless game as the teams entered the second intermission.

After 15 minutes of scoreless play in the third period, Elmira finally broke the tie with a goal by senior forward Jessica Prance (Chaumont, N.Y.). Prance scored via an assist from Ari Smith (Eagle, Wis.) after a shot from Meghan Fonfara (Elma, N.Y.) was blocked by Bantam junior Delaney Harrop (Walpole, Mass.). Trinity pulled Thulin from goal to gain an extra skater but the Soaring Eagles iced the game with an empty-netter with 39 seconds off the stick of Maddie Evangelous (Hudson, Mass.).

Trinity returns to action on Tuesday, January 3, when they travel to Vermont to take on Norwich University. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m.