This shot by Norwich Captain, Sophie Leclerc, was deflected but the photo shows how the Norwich Women dominated Castleton in last Saturday's ECAC-East quarter-final at Kreitzberg. The Lady Ice Cadets out-shot the Lady Spartans 46-15 on their way to a convincing 5-1 victory and a berth in this weekends tournament semi-finals at Manhattanville College. SEE STORY ON PAGE 11. Photo by Bill Croney, The Northfield News Sophomore F Julie Fortier scored a goal and dished out two assists as the Norwich University women’s ice hockey team defeated Castleton State College, 5-1, in an ECAC East Tournament quarterfinal game Saturday afternoon at Kreitzberg Arena.

Sophomore D Amanda Wilks added a goal and two assists, and freshman D Brittany Casey chipped in a goal and an assist to help pace the Cadets’ offense. Junior G Cindy Fortin stopped 14 of the 15 shots that she faced to lead the NU defense.

The second-seeded Cadets (16-5-5) will advance to the tournament’s semifinals for the second straight season. The semifinals, which will be hosted by top-seeded Manhattanville College, will be contested next Saturday, March 6. NU’s opponent in its semifinal showdown will be thirdseeded UMass-Boston. The Cadets and Beacons split the regular season series with each team winning on its home ice.

The other semifinal contest will feature top-seeded Manhattanville College versus fifth-seeded New England College. The winners of the two semifinal contests will meet on Sunday, March 7, for the ECAC East Tournament title. Norwich won the event last season, and the Cadets will be looking to make it two in a row next weekend.

The seventh-seeded Spartans, who got a goal from Laura Szwed late in the second period, conclude their season with an overall record of 5-20- 1.

Norwich got off to a fast start as Wilks scored her ninth marker of the year at the 1:43 mark of the first period. The second-year defenseman intercepted a pass as Castleton tried to clear its own zone and she snapped a shot past CSC goaltender Amanda Hoy. The Cadets made it 2-0 at 9:17 of the opening stanza when junior F Kelsey Cone scored her ninth goal of the season off feeds from Fortier and Casey.

The Cadets held an 11-3 edge in shots during the initial 20 minutes, and they carried a 2-0 advantage into the first intermission.

Norwich added to its lead at the 5:42 mark of the second period when Casey scored her second tally of the season off passes from senior F Sophie Leclerc and junior F Sarah Scardino. The Cadets made it 4-0 at 14:43 of the second period when sophomore F Felicia Desorcie redirected a shot by Wilks past Hoy. Wilks and Fortier picked up assists on the marker, which was Desorcie’s third of the season.

Castleton got on the scoreboard late in the middle frame when Szwed netted her 10th of the season on a breakaway. Nicole Ruman and Sterling Nelson were credited with assists on the play as they helped spring Szwed in all alone on Fortin.

The Cadets enjoyed a 19-6 advantage in shots during the second period, and they took a commanding 4-1 cushion into the final 20 minutes.

Norwich added an insurance tally midway through the third period when Fortier scored her team-leading 20th goal of the season on a five-on-three power play. Fortier took a pass from Wilks and ripped a shot into the upper portion of the net to make it 5-1 at the 12:39 mark of the stanza.

NU dominated the third period, outshooting CSC by a 16-6 margin.

For the game, Norwich held a 46-15 advantage in shots. Hoy kept the score respectable, making 41 saves in the contest. Several of her stops came on point-blank attempts.

Norwich converted 2-of-4 power play chances, while Castleton went 0-for-3 on the man-advantage.