Monday, October 7, 2013

Hoenshell, Seward Receive CHA Honors

Hannah Hoenshell capped off a fantastic series with a CHA Player of the Week award

A historic weekend for the Nittany Lion women was capped off appropriately as, for the first time ever, Penn State received two of College Hockey America's weekly awards at the same time. Sophomore forward Hannah Hoenshell was named the CHA Player of the Week Monday afternoon, while freshman defender Kelly Seward took Rookie of the Week honors.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the news? Penn State had a legitimate claim to even more, as freshman Laura Bowman scored twice in Saturday's win over Vermont, while Celine Whitlinger stopped 37 of 39 shots in that contest. Additionally, unlike with the previous week's watered-down awards, all six conference teams were in action over this past weekend.

Hoenshell and Seward are both highly-deserving recipients, as Hoenshell played arguably the best game of her career on Saturday, dancing through the Catamount defense all afternoon long to set up both of Bowman's goals and score the winner herself on a spectacular play immediately after Vermont had scored to tie things at two. Seward was an epiphany on the blueline, as she gained plenty of attention for her pair of big goals in the two matches but was perhaps even more impressive defensively in locking down UVM's often-potent forwards.

Coincidentally, last year's opening split in Burlington also brought CHA honors - in that case a rookie of the week nod to Micayla Catanzariti, who scored twice and added an assist in the historic 5-3 win over Vermont on October 6th, 2012. Later on, both Whitlinger (December 10th, 2012) and Hoenshell (January 7th) joined her as rookies of the week. Shannon Yoxheimer was the most decorated Nittany Lion a year ago, as she was offensive player of the week on October 22nd, 2012, rookie of the month for November 2012 and was named to the league's all-rookie team at the conclusion of the campaign.

Here are the CHA blurbs on the two newest award winners:

Hannah Hoenshell
(Soph; Fwd; Plano, Texas)

Hoenshell propelled Penn State to an undefeated weekend at Vermont, supplying three points and a game-high plus-four rating in Saturday’s 4-2 win. Hoenshell was involved in three of Penn State’s four goals on Saturday, tallying a goal and two assists. Hoenshell assisted Laura Bowman’s first collegiate goal to give Penn State a brief 2-1 lead. Following Vermont’s tying goal at 2-2, Hoenshell took the ensuing faceoff the length of the ice, darted around a couple defenders and put PSU ahead 3-2 for her second career game-winning goal. Hoenshell again wove through the defense, through the slot and to the right wing, tossing a perfect pass to Bowman who added an insurance goal. Hoenshell played in Friday’s 3-3 overtime tie at Vermont as well, taking one shot.

Kelly Seward
(D; Williamsville, N.Y.)

Seward was fantastic on both sides of the ice this weekend as Penn State went 1-0-1. Seward tallied two goals, which ties for the team high through two games. Seward posted a plus-two rating and seven blocked shots for the weekend. Seward scored the first goal of the season, a power-play tally, in Friday night’s 3-3 overtime tie. Seward fired two shots and posted a plus-one rating in the tie, while blocking four shots. On Saturday, Seward again scored Penn State’s first goal of the day, this time on a long bomb from the point that tied the score at one mid-way through the first period. Seward posted a plus-one rating and blocked three shots for Penn State.

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