MANCHESTER, N.H. – The top-seeded Holy Cross women's ice hockey team shutout fourth-seeded St. Michael's in the semi-final of the ECAC Open Tournament at St. Anselm's on Saturday, 3-0. The Crusaders improve to 19-3-3 (14-3-1 ECAC East) while the Purple Knights fall to 3-21-1 (2-15-1 ECAC East).

Freshman Chelsea Monahan (Cherry Hill, N.J.) set the tone early scoring her fourth goal of the season just 1:56 into the first period. The Crusaders kept the pressure on adding a second goal just over three minutes later when junior Caroline English (Dorchester, Mass.) netted her 12th goal of the year at the 5:02 mark, first of the shorthanded variety. Holy Cross outshot St. Michael's 18-3 in the first frame and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

After a scoreless second frame, the Crusaders extended the lead to 3-0 just 45 seconds into the third period on the 27th goal of the year for senior Stacey Hochkins (New Boston, Mich.), setting a new single-season school record. St. Michael's outshot Holy Cross in the third 13-9 but Holy Cross held the overall advantage in the game, 41-23.

Neither team was able to take advantage of power play opportunities with Holy Cross going 0-3 and St. Michael's 0-4. Crusader goaltender Carly Dominick-Sobol (Syracuse, N.Y.) saved all 23 shots she faced to record her fourth shutout of the season and improve to 6-2-1 (3-2-1 ECAC East) on the year. St Michael's goaltender Erin Stevens made 38 saves and falls to 3-19-1 (2-13-1 ECAC East).

The Crusaders advance to the championship game of the ECAC Open Tournament set to take place tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 26 at 4:00 p.m. against two-seeded St. Anselm.