Neumann University repeats as NCRHA Division 1 National Champion!

For the second consecutive year, Neumann University has gone undefeated at the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Championships, earning themselves the title of Division 1 National Champion.

Their road was not easy, and was heavily contested, from the drop of the first puck in round robin against Bethel, to the Division 1 Championship Game against UNLV.

In round robin, Neumann University went undefeated in Pool A, defeating Bethel University 3-2, University of Las Vegas 3-2, and University of Missouri St. Louis 8-3.  Shane Fox and PJ DiMartino led Neumann in round robin scoring, with 5 points.  Fox had 3 goals and 2 assists and DiMartino had 5 assists.

Neumann’s first matchup in the single elimination brackets was another team out of the ECRHA, University of Rhode Island.  Neumann scored just 1:31 into the game and never looked back, with a final score 15-0.  Neumann then faced another ECRHA team, Farmingdale State College, who they defeated by a score of 6-3.  Neumann got out to a 4-0 lead in the first period and a 5^th goal early in the 2^nd.  Farmingdale scored 3 consecutive goals, making it a 5-3 game.  The final was 6-3 after a Neumann empty net goal. 

The first goal in Neumann’s semifinal matchup against Michigan State was actual Michigan State, followed by 10 consecutive Neumann goals.  Ryan Marker scored 4 goals in the win, as well as Tyler Kraft with 2 goals and 3 assists.

The Division 1 Championship Game featured Neumann University against University of Nevada Las Vegas.  UNLV earned their bid to the championship game by defeating Bethel University by a score of 6-2.  A fast paced but controlled 1^st period ended 0-0, with Neumann outshooting UNLV narrowly 8-6.  In the 2^nd, Neumann netted 2 specialty teams goals, the first being a shorthanded goal 56 seconds into the period, by PJ DiMartino and the 2^nd being a power play goal at 11:24 also from DiMartino, assisted by Tyler Kraft.  UNLV added the first goal of the 3^rd period, scored by Austin Shannon, assisted by Ian Davis.  UNLV did not get many more chances as the game closed, but Neumann added a goal at 9:12 by Tyler Kraft, and an empty net goal with 1:22 remaining, from PJ DiMartino, earning DiMartino a hat trick in the National Championship Game.

Congratulations to the Neumann Knights for their 2^nd consecutive Division 1 National Championship!