|
Record woes continue for women’s pucks; losing skid reaches 10
 Media Credit: Michael Martin/Managing Editor SCSU’s Katy Battis dives for the puck in the Huskies 5-2 loss to Ohio State on Jan. 12. The Huskies have lost the last 10 games.
|
|
The women’s ice hockey team continued its struggles this weekend as they traveled to the East Coast for the first time to play one game against the University of New Hampshire and then two more against Providence College.
SCSU’s overall record has dropped to 4-19-1 and 3-10-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while adding to a school record losing streak.
“I think right now we are playing really tough competition and once you get into a slump, if you’re not beating your opponents, you have to set goals and find ways to get your team out,” said head coach Kerry Brodt-Wethington. “Who likes to lose? Nobody likes to lose. If you are being beat by close margins it is demoralizing.”
Friday night the Huskies arrived in Durham, N.H. to face off against a 12-7-2 UNH team. SCSU jumped out to an early first period lead on two goals by sophomore forward Roxy Stang. Sophomore defender Kobi Kawamoto and senior forward Andrea Keller assisted on the first goal while sophomore forward Alison Ribar received the assist on Stang’s second goal of the evening.
The second and third periods downed the Huskies’ hope for a win. UNH came out gunning and scored four unanswered goals before first-year forward Melanie Pudsey scored a power play goal at 8:59 in the third.
Junior defender Amanda Mathison and Stang assisted on the goal. However, UNH added three more goals to wrap up the scoring and sent the Huskies packing with a 7-3 loss.
Sophomore goaltender Ellen Brinkman stopped 40 out of 47 UNH shots and took the loss. UNH outshot the Huskies 47-22 and scored on four of six power plays.
Saturday night the Huskies played the middle game of their current three game East Coast swing. SCSU squared off against Providence, who came into the game with an 8-8-3 record, in Providence, R.I. The Friars came out fast and peppered Brinkman in the net scoring three times in the first two periods. SCSU managed to get on the board at 8:39 in the third when Keller scored her eighth goal of the season on the power play. Kawamoto assisted on the goal. However, 3-1 was the closest SCSU would get. PC added two more goals late in the third to close the deal. PC handed SCSU their ninth loss in a row with the 5-1 loss. PC outshot the Huskies by a 45-13 margin.
Sunday’s game was similar to the others. PC came out fast and hit the Huskies hard, scoring four first period goals. The Friars tacked on three more in the third and didn’t allow SCSU to score until 18:28 in the third period when Pudsey scored. Defenders Tina Cirualo and Katy Battis assisted on the goal. Brinkman saved 19 of 25 Friar shots, while first-year goalie Marie Witchey stopped seven of eight in relief.
“Losing is not fun, and we just have to get some wins to get on the right track,” Stang said.
The Husky losing streak started before the winter break when the then- number two ranked University of Minnesota Golden Gophers handed SCSU a 7-2 loss at Mariucci Arena. Mathison and Keller had the Husky goals in the Dec. 14 game. The assists on the goals went to Stang, senior forward Fiona McLeod and junior forward Jenny Swanson.
The following night, SCSU faced off against Mercyhurst College at the National Hockey Center and skated to a 1-1 regulation draw. However, MC scored halfway into the five minute overtime period to win a tightly contested game. Stang scored on a pass from first-year defender Dana Pretty for SCSU’s only goal. The final game of the three game weekend was a rematch against MC in a Sunday matinee, again at the NHC. MC came out 4-1 winners and SCSU’s lone goal came from junior forward Abby Cooper with assists going to Kawamoto and defender Tina Cirualo.
The Huskies kicked off the New Year with a home game against the U of M on Jan. 5. Once again, the Gophers scored five first period goals and handed SCSU a tough 5-1 loss. SCSU’s goal came when Pudsey lit the lamp on passes from Swanson and Mathison. SCSU played the highly rated University of St. Lawrence the next night at home and fell 6-1. Keller scored the lone goal for the Huskies on a pass from Stang.
The Huskies played an important home series with WCHA rival Ohio State University January 11. In the first game, OSU dealt SCSU a 5-1 loss with Stang lighting the lamp on an unassisted break away goal. The next night SCSU came out stronger and scored three goals for the first time in six games, but fell short to OSU 5-3. Keller, Cirualo and Swanson all scored with Cooper, Stang, and Kawamoto all getting two assists.
Additionally, the complexion of the team has changed a bit since the start of the break. First-year defender Dana Pretty left the team just before Christmas and WCHA All-Star senior forward Fiona McLeod was released from the team about a week ago. Starters and lines have changed and the competition on the team will as well.
“Whoever earns their spot is going to start and play,” Wethington said. “If you’re a first year player or a senior, we are going to get the best players on the ice.”
Matt Petermann can be reached at: [email protected]
|
|
|
|
Privacy Policy Network Advertising Article Syndication
|
|
