PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Both higher seeded prevailed in the first-ever Little East Conference (LEC) Women's Ice Hockey Championship Tournament contests, presented by Townshend Hockey. No. 3 University of Southern Maine blanked No. 6 Plymouth State University, while No. 4 Vermont State University Castleton doubled-up No. 5 Keene State College. 

The Spartans will next travel to top-seeded and third-ranked Norwich University for Saturday's semifinal round action, while the Huskies will head to second-seeded University of Massachusetts Boston. 

No. 3 Southern Maine 3, No. 6 Plymouth State 0
By Southern Maine Athletics

Junior Maggie Jones (St. John's, Newfoundland/Mount Academy) recorded 22 saves for her fifth shutout of the year as the No. 3 seed University of Southern Maine Huskies defeated the No. 6 seed Plymouth State Panthers 3-0 on Wednesday evening in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Little East Conference Women's Ice Hockey Championship Tournament, presented by Townshend Hockey.
 
Fifth-year senior Jillian Jackson (Fredericton, New Brunswick/Ontario Hockey Academy), freshman Charlotte Hughes (Mississauga, Ontario) and senior Audrey Donahue (Timberlea, Nova Scotia/Kimball Union Academy) accounted for the Southern Maine goals. Jackson's and Hughes' scores were on the power play and Donahue had a shorthanded tally.
 
Graduate student Madison Chagnon (St. Albans, Vt./Rice Memorial) recorded her sixth multiple-point game of the season with a pair of assists.
 
The Records:
No. 6 Plymouth State: 10-16-0
No. 3 Southern Maine: 11-14-1
 
Series History:
The Huskies won the season series 2-1 over the Panthers and hold a 29-9-1 lead in the all-time series.
 
The Goaltenders:
Plymouth State: Jorja Moore (5-6-0): 60:00, three goals allowed, 15 saves
Southern Maine: Maggie Jones (8-7-1): 60:00, zero goals allowed, 22 saves
 
How It Happened:

• After a scoreless first period, the Huskies broke through on the power play with a wrap around by Jackson 6:03 into the second. Seniors Saige MacLeod (Dryden, Ontario) and Olivia Stewart (Fredericton, New Brunswick/Mount Academy) assisted on the goal.
• The Huskies added another power play goal with 3:31 left in the period when Hughes tipped in a blast by sophomore Josie Arrants (Rock Springs, Wy./Lovell Academy). Chagnon also had an assist on the score.
• Donahue gave the Huskies an insurance goal with five minutes left on the clock after a Plymouth penalty expired and a shot by Chagnon hit the post. Sophomore Greta Grant (Brownfield, Maine/Fryeburg Academy) helped create the opportunity for Chagnon by deflecting the puck into the air outside the blue line where Chagnon was able to track it down.
• Jones made 10 saves in the final period to preserve the shutout.

Inside The Stats:

• The Huskies went 2-for-4 on the power play. The Panthers went 0-for-2.
• Plymouth State had a 22-18 lead in shots on goal and a slight 26-24 edge in faceoff wins.
• Sophomore Joely Power (Clarenville, Newfoundland/Mount Academy) led the Huskies with eight faceoff wins in 12 attempts.
• The Huskies blocked 18 shots led by three each from Grant, Donahue, senior Caroline Thompson (Crapaud, Prince Edward Island/Mount Academy) and freshman Gracelyn Koch (Maple Grove, New Brunswick).

No. 4 VTSU Castleton 4, No. 5 Keene State 2 
By VTSU Castleton Athletics

The Vermont State University fourth-seeded Castleton women's ice hockey team opened play in the Little East Conference Ice Hockey Championship Tournament, presented by Townshend Hockey, with a 4–2 home-ice victory over fifth-seeded Keene State College on Wednesday evening.

The Basics

• Final Score: #4 Castleton 4, Keene State 2
• Location: Spartan Arena – Rutland, Vt.
• Records: Castleton 12-14-0 (8-11-0 LEC) | Keene State 10-16-0 (7-12-0 LEC)

Keeping it 100
Moa Carlsson and Meg Aiken appeared in their 100th career games during Wednesday's playoff contest, joining classmate Ellie Schliebener, who reached the milestone on February 13—also against the Owls.

How It Happened
Castleton earned an early power play after a high-sticking penalty at 2:54. With time winding down on the 5-on-4 advantage, the Spartans capitalized as Mikayla Brightman found the back of the net, with assists from Morgan Arscott and Amanda Vaughn, to give Castleton a 1–0 lead near the five-minute mark.

Keene State answered at 9:36 to knot the game at 1–1. Just six minutes later, Castleton regained the lead as Maddy Jorgenson scored to make it 2–1, assisted by Brooke Noble.

The Spartans extended their lead 78 seconds into the second period, going up 3–1 on another power-play goal. Vaughn collected her second point of the game on the tally, with assists from Brightman and Schliebener. Castleton dominated the middle stanza, firing 13 shots on goal while blocking 12 attempts defensively.

Looking to put the game away, the Spartans struck again in the third period as Vaughn netted her second goal of the night—Castleton's third straight—to make it 4–1. Schliebener and Arscott assisted on the senior's power-play marker.

Keene State broke through once more at 18:17 to cut the deficit to 4–2, but despite an extra-skater push late, Castleton held firm to secure the victory and advance to the LEC semifinal round.

By the Numbers

• Vaughn led all skaters with three points on two goals and an assist.
• Arscott and Schliebener each recorded two assists, both contributing to Vaughn's scoring efforts.
• Aiken was dominant at the faceoff dot, going 17-for-23, as Castleton controlled the circle, 45–21.
• Gianna McCusker earned the win in net, stopping 18 shots, while the Spartans added 12 blocked shots defensively.
• Keene State committed 10 penalties in the contest, while Castleton was whistled for five.