SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The Division I Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team won both games this weekend at Cairns Arena to claim the 12th annual DoubleTree Ice Hockey Classic, wrapping up its second consecutive title. The Pioneers downed host Saint Michael's College, 3-1, on Saturday after Hamilton College won the day's first contest over Plymouth State University, 4-1.

Senior Amie Varano (Duxbury, Mass./Notre Dame Academy) recorded a goal and an assist, while junior Brittany Smith (Manchester, Mass./Manchester Essex) and sophomore Haley Payne (Braintree, Mass./Braintree) each scored once.

Junior Taylor Moreland (Kenosha, Wis./Milwaukee Jr. Admirals)went 22-for-28 on faceoffs. Sophomore Sarah Erban (Attleboro, Mass./Tilton School) made 33 saves in the win. A scoreless first period was highlighted by 14 Frasca saves, five of which came during a successful penalty kill for the Purple Knights. The Pioneers created a scoring chance on a 2-on-1 when senior Teagan Ketchum (Averill Park, N.Y./Albany Academy) sent a pass to Smith in the slot, but Smith's quick snap shot was denied with a pad save by Frasca as she slid pipe to pipe. 

Saint Michael's fired nine shots in the first nine minutes of the second period but could not beat Erban. Sacred Heart opened the scoring at 11:14, when Varano let go of a shot from left half-wall that redirected off a crowd of skaters in front and past Frasca during a 5-on-3 power play. The

Pioneers doubled their lead just over a minute later, as Payne tallied with an assist from junior Carly Radovich (Hopkinton, Mass./Vermont Academy) at 12:37 during another woman advantage. Late in the period, senior Erin Dwyer (Weymouth, Mass./Archbishop Williams) created a scoring chance, as she gained an angle on her defender entering the zone and fired backhanded from the bottom of the left circle that was denied by Erban with a pad save with 2:25 remaining.

Early in the third the Purple Knights finally beat Erban, as Monbouquette sent a pass from the right corner to Akiki, who finished from the low slot to make the score 2-1 at the 1:44 mark. The Pioneers reestablished their two-goal lead minutes later, as Smith beat a defender near the right wall and carried the puck in front before lifting the puck up over Frasca's glove at 4:03. In the remainder of the third the Purple Knights tested Erban nine times but were unable to cut into Sacred Heart's lead.

The Pioneers are back in action Tuesday 10 January at 7:00 PM hosting Morrisville State.