NORTHFIELD, Vt. -- The Norwich University women's ice hockey team advanced to its eighth straight league title game with a 3-1 victory over the University of New England in a New England Hockey Conference semifinal-round game Friday afternoon (March 4) at Kreitzberg Arena.

Junior Celeste Robert made 21 saves, while Sarah Schwenzfeier, Adelle Murphy, and Maki Shuchuk all scored goals to lead the Cadets.

Norwich (21-6-0) jumped out to a quick start, scoring two goals in the first 3:34 of the game to take a 2-0 lead and forcing an early timeout by UNE.

Shuchuk put the Cadets up 1-0 at the 2:13 mark of the first period by tipping an initial shot by Taylor Cross from the point into the back of the net and past UNE starting goalie Sydney Helmbrecht. Christine Bouchat-Bonin picked up the secondary assist on the goal.

Norwich didn't take long to increase the lead as Schwenzfeier slid a rebound behind Helmbrecht for her 11th goal of the season at the 3:34 mark off an initial shot by Maddie Tasha from the blue line.

The Cadets got another quick start in the second period with Murphy tipping home an initial shot by Kim Tiberi to make it 3-0 Norwich at the 3:28 mark of the middle stanza.

UNE (15-9-2) answered just 24 seconds later to get on the board as Mary Wirth redirected a pass from the right by Gabby Crugnale into the back of the net to beat Robert and end her bid at the NU single-season shutout record.

Neither side was able to score again as NU skated away with the 3-1 victory and will now look to win its fifth straight NEHC title and seventh in the last eight years on Saturday at 4 p.m. when it hosts UMass Boston at Kreitzberg Arena.

Norwich won its 12th straight game with the victory, which is its longest win streak since the 2013-14 season when the Cadets won 18 straight.

The loss marks the end of the careers of Marissa Clifford-Biederman, Shannon Reynolds, and Samantha Scobee -- the Nor'easters first graduating class of four-year seniors.

(story courtesy Norwich University)