**NORTHFIELD, Vt.** — On Saturday, March 7, the UMass Boston women's hockey team saw its title hopes dashed in a 3-1 loss to Norwich University in the Little East Conference Championship game at Kreitzberg Arena. Despite an outstanding 34-save performance from goaltender Leah Bosch, the Beacons could not overcome a late power-play goal by the Cadets. UMass Boston concludes its season with a 16-9-2 record. 

Norwich struck first at 12:18 of the opening period to take a 1-0 lead. The Beacons battled back in the second, tying the game at 1-1 just over six minutes into the period. Senior Adriana Crepaldi found the back of the net for the equalizer, with assists credited to Cassidy Morrison and Emily Hansen. 

The game remained deadlocked until the final minutes of the third period. A tripping penalty against UMass Boston at 17:01 gave Norwich a critical power-play opportunity. The Cadets capitalized, as Alex Leslie scored the game-winning goal at 17:39. Norwich added an empty-net goal with 45 seconds remaining to secure the 3-1 victory and the conference title. 

BEACONS BITS 

The Beacons showcased a tremendous defensive effort, blocking 30 shots as a team. Maggie Lynch led the team with five blocked shots. Norwich held a significant advantage in shots on goal, outshooting UMass Boston 37-9. Shea Nolan was a key contributor at the faceoff dot, winning 12 draws. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Beacons.