WIHC Announces Second Roster

Geosciences and biogeochemistry scholar Elizabeth Denis, a former NCAA player at Brown, returns.

The ACHA Women's Division 2 Penn State Women's Ice Hockey Club has announced a roster for the coming season, one that presents both challenges and opportunity.

The primary challenge involves making up the offensive production of Devon Fisk and Mandy Mortach, as PSU's top two scorers from 2012-2013 both decided to not play this season. There's really no other way to slice it: their combined 26 goals will either need to be replaced somehow or sorely missed. They weren't garbage-time tallies either - in the team's run to the ACHA national championship game in March, Fisk scored the winner against top-seeded Alaska in the tournament opener to serve notice. Mortach followed with a pair in a win over Wisconsin-Stout the next day, and in a rematch with the Blue Devils in the semifinals, Fisk may have scored with Penn State 8:40 from elimination to force an ultimately successful overtime (whether or not she touched Tara Soukup's power play blast on the way through is a point of some uncertainty, but at the very least, it was a good screen).

On the other side of the ledger, the team's defense and goaltending should be good. Really, really good. Starting in the crease, both netminders return. Katie Vaughan and Sarah Eisenhut are two of the ACHA's best, with the former winning All-American (honorable mention) and All-Tournament (second team) honors as a junior. While Vaughan was the usual starter a year ago, neither had a save percentage under 0.923 or a goals against average over 1.51.

In front of Vaughan and Eisenhut, Soukup, Ashton Shaffer, Allie Rothman and Jackie Saideh will try to carry on their status as one of the nation's top defenses. Reinforcements will help the WIHC run three pairs deep, as former Tier 1 player Kim Badorrek, Princeton Tiger Lilies alumna Cassie Dunne and Anna Marcus, an all-conference selection at Ridgefield (CT) High School last year, come on board. As stellar as the goalie stats were in 2012-2013, there's good reason to believe they'll be even better in the coming campaign.

There is promise in the forward group, even without Fisk and Mortach. For starters, Carly Szyszko is back for one more go as someone with proven scoring ability who simply does not get outworked. Former goaltender Mary Kate Tonetti enjoyed a very good first year ever without the pads and will only grow as a threat. Elizabeth Denis averaged a goal every other game after joining the team in the middle of last season and brings a physical dimension as well. The new players up front include Sam Summers, who previously played 48 games in two seasons (2009-2011) as a member of the Lady Icers. Once, on January 21, 2011, she enjoyed a three-point game in a 5-1 win over now-conference rival Cal (PA) that gave Szyszko a goaltending win (both of PSU's regular goalies were in Turkey for the World University Games at the time).

Other newcomers include Lucy Yeatman, Hannah Dier and Geneva Wagoner. Wagoner played for Millbrook School in New York, the New England prep Division II runners-up a year ago while Yeatman showed promise with the Chester County Skating Club.

Here's the full squad, which will open up in the Pegula Ice Arena's Community Rink against Liberty on September 27th at 10:15 p.m.

No.	Name	Pos.	Class	Shoots	Hometown	Last Team
1	Katie Vaughan	G	Sr.	Left	Pittsburgh, PA	Team Pittsburgh
3	Anna Marcus	D	Fr.	Right	Ridgefield, CT	Ridgefield HS
5	Nina Elia	F	So.	Right	Skaneatles, NY	Skaneatles HS
6	Geneva Wagoner	F	Fr.	Right	Alexandria Bay, NY	Millbrook School
8	Jackie Saideh	D	So.	Right	Concord, MA	Concord-Carlisle HS
9	Ashton Schaffer	D	Jr.	Left	Midlothian, TX	Alliance Bulldogs
11	Mary Kate Tonetti	F	Jr.	Right	West Chester, PA	West Chester Quakers
12	Taylor Nyman	F	Jr.	Right	Souderton, PA	Hatfield Angels
14	Carly Szyszko	F	Sr.	Left	Bensalem, PA	New Jersey Colonials
15	Hannah Dier	F	Fr.	Right	Wall, NJ	Wall HS
18	Kim Badorrek	D	Sr.	Right	Altoona, PA	Team Pittsburgh
19	Tara Soukup	D	So.	Left	Pittsburgh, PA	Ohio Flames
20	Allie Rothman	D	Sr.	Right	West Chester, PA	West Chester Quakers
23	Lucy Yeatman	F	Fr.	Right	Avondale, PA	CCSC Cougars
28	Elizabeth Denis	F	Gr.	Left	Durham, NH	Brown University
31	Sarah Eisenhut	G	Jr.	Left	Lansing, NY	Ithaca Shooting Stars
33	Cassie Dunne	D	Fr.	Right	Wyndmoor, PA	Princeton Tiger Lilies
36	Sam Summers	F	Sr.	Right	Ellicott City, MD	Susquehanna Rapids

ACHA WD2: Penn State 2 vs. West Chester 5

Coaches Pat Fung (top right) and Tommy Vaughan (top left) with the team, the second-place trophy, and the all-tournament plaques for Katie Vaughan and Devon Fisk

The Women's Ice Hockey Club closed its inaugural season with a 5-2 loss to West Chester in the ACHA Women's Division 2 national championship game in Ashburn, VA Sunday afternoon.

That's what the ACHA website will say. What it won't discuss is the journey to get there for a team that, though sheer determination and leftovers (ice time, scheduling, locker "space," you name it) came together in its first year and shocked the nationals field as one of the lowest seeds in the championships. The defeat to WCU was preceded by three wins and a tie against higher-seeded teams, two of those wins coming against defending national champion Wisconsin-Stout, and the other coming against Alaska, the top seed in the West Region.

It was an electrifying beginning for a team that promises to develop into one of the elite ACHA organizations in the coming years, while representing Penn State with honor and distinction. Next year the squad, which joins University Park's other hockey teams in a move to Pegula Ice Arena, will almost certainly be a national championship favorite.

In the final, things actually began quite well for Penn State. Mandy Mortach gave the WIHC a 1-0 lead 2:10 into the game by dangling to the left wing wall and firing a shot that appeared to deflect in off of a WCU defender. Elizabeth Denis made it 2-0 just over two minutes later when she recovered a saved Devon Fisk shot in the corner to WCU goalie Aly Golia's left, walked to the front, and sniped. So far, so good.

Then Becky Dobson happened. Three times consecutively, briding the first and second periods.

By the time she was done with her natural hat trick, the West Chester senior and ACHA player of the year had given the Golden Rams all the offense they would need. Danielle Speroff's power play goal and Kristen Neugebauer's tally on a delayed call, both in the second period, added insurance and hampered PSU's third period comeback effort. That effort included a long and gritty 3-on-5 kill to start, and several close calls offensively from Fisk and Denis. Aly Golia - who at one point looked possibly unable to continue after a first-period collision - made 28 saves to stymie the Penn State offense over the last 46 minutes of the game.

Despite the loss, several Penn Staters earned ACHA recognition. Goaltender Katie Vaughan and forwards Mandy Mortach and Devon Fisk were named All-American honorable mentions, while Vaughan (second team) and Fisk (first team) also were on the ACHA All-Tournament team. Forward and club president Mary Kate Tonetti was named the ACHA's Off-Ice MVP for community work.

Highlights

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Here are Penn State's goals.



Box Score

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First Period
Scoring
1. Penn State, Mandy Mortach (Allie Rothman), 2:10; 2. Penn State, Elizabeth Denis (Devon Fisk), 4:14; 3. West Chester, Becky Dobson (unassisted), 4:45.
Penalties
1. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 body checking), 10:58; 2. West Chester, Becky Dobson (2:00 hooking), 15:21.
Second Period
Scoring
4. West Chester, Becky Dobson (unassisted), 1:58; 5. West Chester, Becky Dobson (unassisted), 2:53; 6. West Chester, Danielle Speroff (Emily Rice), 10:21 (power play); 7. West Chester, Emily Rice (unassisted), 11:45.
Penalties
3. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 elbowing), 9:32; 4. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 tripping), 11:45; 5. West Chester, Virlen Reyes (2:00 hooking), 14:55; 6. Penn State, Devon Fisk (2:00 tripping), 16:10; 7. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 holding), 16:33.
Third Period
Scoring
None.
Penalties
8. West Chester, Becky Dobson (2:00 holding), 8:22; 9. Penn State, Allie Rothman (2:00 holding), 15:34.
Goaltending
Penn State: Katie Vaughan: L, 20 saves/25 shots. West Chester: Aly Golia: W, 28 saves/30 shots.

ACHA WD2: Penn State 3 vs. North Dakota State 3

Elizabeth Denis tallied twice to help PSU gain seeding position with a tie against North Dakota State

With advancement to the ACHA semifinals already locked up, the Women's Ice Hockey Club ensured at least the third seed in the final four with a wild 3-3 tie against North Dakota State Friday evening in Ashburn, VA. The result wrapped up the preliminary round of the tournament for PSU with a 2-0-1 record, although the WIHC will now have to wait for the last two tournament games of the night to learn their semifinal opponent and the time on Saturday the match will be played.

The Bison got on the board first, just 55 seconds from puck drop, after Jaqueline Johnson slipped an innocent-looking backhand through from the right circle that appeared to change up Katie Vaughan. PSU finally capitalized on their 14-7 shot advantage in the opening 17 minutes late in the period, when Elizabeth Denis scooped up a puck in the neutral zone, powered down left wing all alone, and popped in her own backhander.

NDSU regained the advantage 6:16 into the second period via Kacie Johnson, who tallied in transition on the power play just after a missed shorthanded opportunity, but once again, Penn State had a late-period answer. With 1:11 remaining and just after a long 5-on-3 had expired, Carly Szyszko scored by circling into the middle slot and sniping, with an assist going to Mary Kate Tonetti.

Penn State took its first lead of the game on the power play five minutes into the third period. Following some fantastic in-zone movement, Allie Rothman made a D-to-D pass to Tara Soukup, who fired in to Denis in front of the net, where the grad student earned her Ph.D. in tucking the puck just inside the post to NDSU goalie Hannah Seitz's right. Kacie Johnson added her second just 1:50 later by rifling a shot past Sarah Eisenhut's blocker from the right-wing circle to re-knot the game. However, the last 15:18 of play (including a five-minute overtime) failed to produce a winner despite four NDSU penalties in the late stages of the third period and overtime and a 10-3 shooting advantage for the WIHC during the extra period.

Eisenhut relieved Vaughan at the first intermission and received a baptism by fire through several NDSU flurries, but was spectacular in making 20 often-difficult saves.

Highlights

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Here are Penn State's first and third goals.



Box Score

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First Period
Scoring
1. North Dakota State, Jacqueline Johnson (Breanna Taralson), 0:55; 2. Penn State, Elizabeth Denis (unassisted), 14:51.
Penalties
None.
Second Period
Scoring
3. North Dakota State, Kacie Johnson (unassisted), 6:16 (power play); 4. Penn State, Carly Szyszko (Mary Kate Tonetti), 15:49.
Penalties
1. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 roughing), 0:56; 2. Penn State, Tara Soukup (2:00 body checking), 5:49; 3. North Dakota State, Hannah Pilger (2:00 body checking), 13:06; 4. North Dakota State, Kacie Johnson (2:00 slashing), 13:47.
Third Period
Scoring
5. Penn State, Elizabeth Denis (Tara Soukup, Allie Rothman), 4:52 (power play); 6. North Dakota State, Kacie Johnson (Marisa Holst), 6:42.
Penalties
5. North Dakota State, Ellen Lanman (2:00 roughing), 3:33; 6. North Dakota State, Jacqueline Johnson (2:00 body checking), 12:58; 7. North Dakota State, Sarah Biesterveld (2:00 body checking), 15:31.
Overtime
Scoring
None.
Penalties
8. North Dakota State, Ellie Dahl (2:00 tripping), 0:15; 9. North Dakota State, Ellie Dahl (2:00 interference), 2:56; 10. Penn State, Allie Rothman (2:00 holding), 4:00.
Goaltending
Penn State: Katie Vaughan: 6 saves/7 shots; Sarah Eisenhut (0:00 2nd): T, 20 saves/22 shots. North Dakota State: Hannah Seitz: T, 36 saves/39 shots.

Club Sandwich: January 16th

Taylor Nyman and her orange laces made a three-point debut against Navy.

Women

PSUWIHC.com recap and box score // PSUWIHC.com highlights

Black Shoe Diaries recap // Mary Kate Tonetti/Carly Szyszko postgame video

Suffice it to say that the women's ACHA team had quite an interesting day on Sunday, one that began with their being locked out of the Ice Pavilion when preparing to make the drive to Annapolis for their first game of the new semester.

Once arriving at the Naval Academy, it quickly became apparent that Navy's team had forgotten about the game, scheduled for 1:55 p.m., and several options, including simply giving the ice time to PSU for a practice and recruiting some of the under-19s from the game scheduled prior to PSU-Navy were considered. But in the end, the Midshipmen were able to piece together something resembling their regular club.

For those who don't know, I've taken on the task of putting together a website for the team, so it would be kind of foolish to not plagiarize myself at least a little here in recapping the game, one notable for the successful debuts of semester break additions Taylor Nyman and Elizabeth Denis, both forwards (Denis, of course, played for the Lady Icers last year).

---

Mandy Mortach scored four times and added two assists, while five other players enjoyed multi-point games as No. 4 Penn State climbed to 5-1-1 with a 9-1 rout of the Naval Academy.

After a fairly slow and even start, Elizabeth Denis opened the scoring on a 2-on-1 with Devon Fisk 6:30 into the game. From there the floodgates opened, as just 28 seconds later, Carly Szyszko put back the rebound of a Tara Soukup shot. By the end of the first period, PSU had a 5-0 lead after Fisk created a turnover and fired home, Mortach buried a second rebound goal started by a Soukup shot during a PSU power play - then added her second four minutes later.

Navy did get a goal back on a rebound effort with 4:06 remaining in the second period, but not before Mary Kate Tonetti's redirection of a Szyszko pass followed by Tonetti's assist of a Mortach laser from the high slot pushed the game into blowout status.

In addition to Denis, and her goal in her re-introduction to Penn State hockey, Taylor Nyman made a highly-successful debut with the team. She scored the game's final goal from just outside of the blue paint while assisting on two others, including a late helper to Mortach on a 2-on-0 that she easily could have taken herself.

Katie Vaughan started in goal and gave way to Sarah Eisenhut after the first period. Both were outstanding, combining for 16 saves and continuing PSU's three-month streak of not allowing more than one goal in a game.

---

Fourth-ranked PSU is in for a much more difficult test next up on January 26th and 27th at No. 2 West Chester. It goes without saying, but those two games carry huge implications for the next ACHA WD2 poll, due out the week following those games, and therefore for the ACHA national championship tournament.

Max O'Malley scored an important goal last Friday against Liberty.

Men

Box score // Black Shoe Diaries recap

The Ice Lions also opened their semester over the weekend, with the always-tough Virginia road trip to face MACHA South Division opponents Virginia Tech and Liberty - but thanks to two tight wins it was a successful one, as Penn State is now 15-4-1 overall.

Despite a first-period Ryan Urban goal and heavy dominance on the shot board, the Ice Lions found themselves facing a third-period deficit against Liberty on Friday, due to Flames tallies from D.J. Dinnison (twice) and Bobby Cervone in the middle frame surrounding PSU defenseman Max O'Malley's second goal of the season.

The contest swung back in the Ice Lions' favor thanks to a late second-period boarding major to LU's Seth Reed. Penn State took full advantage of that glorious opportunity by scoring twice on the long power play, once by Chris Lewis (from Joe Zitarelli) and also by Urban (from Mac Winchester and Tyler Starn). Goalie Ryan Demuth (25 shots, 22 saves) held things down for the last 16:05 of the game, including through two Flames power plays.

Box score // Black Shoe Diaries recap // HockeyYall.com recap

Against Virginia Tech the next night, the Ice Lions allowed the game's first goal, to the Hokies' Alex Hashmi, with just 15 seconds remaining in the first period. Perhaps even worse than that, PSU failed to capitalize on four power plays during the stanza, including a long 5-on-3.

The team recovered well though, with Peter Daley's rebound goal tying the game during the middle stages of the second period and Urban finally cashing in a power play with a backhander shortly after. Fredrik Linge assisted on both goals.

Demuth, who turned in another strong effort with 23 saves on 25 shots, surrendered a Virginia Tech goal to Peter Veltri with Starn in the box for interference halfway through the third to tie things back up just after a 5-on-3 ended. However, he stopped two of three Hokies during the shootout that followed a scoreless overtime, allowing goals by Zitarelli and Brandon Russo to give PSU the win.

The Ice Lions, who have likely solidified their position of second in the ACHA D2 Southeast Region (significantly, a ranking that would earn an autobid to the ACHA national championship tournament) with the two wins over the regional Nos. 7 and 8, have just six regular season games left. The first two of those are this coming Friday and Saturday at Kentucky, home of two ACHA legends: midnight starts and schedule posters.

W: Penn State 6 at California (PA) 0

Box score

On Friday night, the Lady Icers improved to 4-3-2 overall and 4-0-0 against ACHA competition with a dominating 6-0 blanking of California (PA) at the Bethel Park, PA location of the Blade Runners Ice Complex. The game was the road half of a home-and-home arrangement with the Vulcans that began with a 7-0 Penn State win at home on October 28th.

In that first game, the Lady Icers only got one power play opportunity, although senior Sara Chroman made Cal pay with her first of three goals. This time around, PSU was again clicking with the advantage, scoring on its first four tries. Freshman defender Madison Smiddy sniped two of those, both courtesy of Denise Rohlik assists, while Elizabeth Denis scored one of her two goals on the power play. Katie Murphy - a teammate of Smiddy's with Detroit Honeybaked's U19 team last season - closed the scoresheet during Cal's fourth penalty.

Chroman added an even-strength goal and an assist, bringing her totals to four goals, three assists in two games against Cal this season. Paige Harrington, Tess Weaver and Katharine Gausseres contributed helpers.

Mary Kate Tonetti got the start in net, giving Katie Vaughan the rare game off, and earned her first Penn State win and shutout.

PSU will stay on its pattern of alternating ACHA and NCAA games this weekend when NCAA Division III SUNY-Cortland rolls into the Ice Pavilion for Friday night (7:00 p.m.) and Saturday (3:30 p.m.) battles. Just prior to the first game with Cortland, the team will learn what the ACHA coaches think of their start to the season as the first ranking of the season is scheduled for release Friday.

Three Stars: October 24-30

3. Ice arena, chiller plant clear borough review
(Centre Daily Times)

Your latest Pegula Ice Arena mundane planning details: bike racks, walkways to the field hockey venue, more trees in front (but not too many, because that defeats the purpose of having a giant glass wall there).

2. Lady Icer Elizabeth Denis works toward graduate degree
(Daily Collegian)

The bar has officially been set for the Collegian's hockey coverage this year with this piece. Meet Elizabeth Denis and her unique backstory, which of course includes experience playing at Brown - but also work on a Ph.D. in geosciences (and PSU has the third-ranked geoscience program in the country, who knew?).

1. Icers' Olczyk finds a home at Penn State
(Pennsylvania Puck)

I never wore Penn State gear as an undergrad, except to football and hockey games - one of my favorite items was a Cleveland State lid. Tommy Olczyk would not be pleased.

Best of the Rest



Ice Lions Sweep Their Weekend Road Trip
(YouTube)

This video, with T.J. Laessig and Mac Winchester, recaps the Ice Lions' three wins at Monmouth, Rider and St. Joseph's two weekends ago, with highlights. They kept it rolling by flattening Indiana (PA) 13-2 on Saturday night and have pumped their record up to 9-2-0. With the first D2 ranking coming out this week, they'll undoubtedly be near the top of the Southeast Region.

The Ice Lions are the only PSU hockey team playing a home game on Friday, at 7:05 p.m. against Virginia Tech, and they'll have live music at the game (State College band The Insomniacs). Also, you can just stick around at the Ice Pavilion after the Icers-Fredonia game Saturday to see the back end of the series with the Hokies. No excuses.

Draft site Pittsburgh becomes hockey hotbed
(USA Today)

Yes, the 2012 NHL Entry Draft was officially announced for Pittsburgh. I'm not sure why everyone freaked out about it, considering it was more or less in "the Winter Classic is going to be in Philly, we're just waiting for an announcement" stage for a couple months, ever since they moved the Furries convention. So instead of a standard news article, here's one about the growth of hockey in Pittsburgh.

Hopefully, we'll see the first PSU draft pick ever in Pittsburgh. That would be pretty cool. Step it up, Mark Yanis.

@Cmen12
(Twitter)

Captioned "there's no such thing as a game face" by Cara Mendelson (right), this is now my official picture for any time she or Tess Weaver (left) does something in a game. Which should be quite frequently, because neither of them suck at this hockey thing. Weaver (@twea36) is also on Twitter, by the way, joining Mendelson as one of the team's most prolific tweeters.

Puck Rock: Guy Gadowsky
(Pennsylvania Puck)

Coach seems almost apologetic about his taste in music, but he shouldn't be. I'm closer to his players' ages than to his, and I'm declaring him winner in a head-to-head Puck Rock showdown with Justin Kirchhevel.

Disgrace
(Without a Peer)

Why give a ton of links to UAH posts when Without a Peer has already done the dirty work (including mine, yay!) and chipped in their own? There has been a boatload of great stuff coming from all over college hockey, but this has to rank among the best. Man, I wish I could write like them.

What killed NCAA Div. I hockey at Alabama-Huntsville?
(Puck Daddy)

The most famous of hockey blogs takes its own run at UAH and ends up with this quote from booster Nathan Bowen:

"The indignant administration, the financial burdens, the lack of a conference home and a lack of rabid enthusiasm from fans and students … all of it contributed to the end of UAH's Div. I program."

SaveUAHHockey.com - Shop
(saveuahhockey.com)

Can't think of the proper way to mourn? I have one idea.

CHL vs. NCAA: The Public Pursuit of an American Top Prospect
(The United States of Hockey)

Here's some fascinating insight concerning the battle between North Dakota and the OHL Windsor Spitfires over Jordan Schmaltz, a likely 2012 first-rounder in the NHL Entry Draft, who is now playing with PSU commit Matt Skoff in Sioux City of the USHL. The Spits have taken to the papers in pursuit of the Wisconsin-native defenseman, basically laying out the laundry list of CHL arguments ("we're better at preparing NHL players, you won't get a degree anyway, blah, blah, blah....").

Although I generally have very little regard for the CHL, it wouldn't trouble me too much if they won this one. I don't like North Dakota.

Big programs at Michigan State, Ohio State in big transitions
(USCHO)

A solid look at the unique tribulations of two of our soon-to-be conference rivals.

Lindenwood women's hockey team is suffering growing pains
(stltoday.com)

Speaking of transitions, I've been keeping some fraction of one of my eyes on how the Lindenwood women are doing in their first season of DI. The logic there, obviously, is that it might provide some sort of road map for what to expect from our women's team, or even our men's team. Let's hope not. The Lady Lions now stand (sit?) at 0-10-0 on the year, have only been within five goals once, and are coming off of a weekend sweep by CHA power Mercyhurst by a combined 21-1 score.

What's the biggest challenge in the move to DI, head coach Vince O'Mara?

"The biggest challenge that we're facing is not that we have 14 freshmen but that we have no one who has been there, done that...seeing the kids not have an upperclassman they can lean on or say to them, 'This is what it takes' makes you realize how important experience is."

Delany: No Big Ten expansion talk with Notre Dame, others
(Chicago Tribune)

Right after saying that the Big Ten hasn't had "active" discussions with Notre Dame since the 1990s, the Big Ten's bureaucrat-in-chief seemed to hint that he would have relaxed the Big Ten's no-affiliate-members rule for Irish hockey.

"I had a discussion with (Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick) on hockey probably about three months ago, and I had another discussion with Jack on football and basketball scheduling issues that our conference was looking at. But on the issue of expansion -- no. And have not, for years, really."

W: Penn State 7 vs. California (PA) 0

Box score

In the buildup to their game against the California University (PA) Vulcans Friday night at the Ice Pavilion, here's what some of the Lady Icers' personnel had to say.

"All I am focused on is us and us becoming the best hockey team we can be" - Head Coach Josh Brandwene

"As long as you keep improving, that is all that matters. You may beat the team or you may lose." - junior forward Katharine Gausseres

“We are more worried about how we can play as a team rather than who our opponent is." - freshman forward Tess Weaver

The team's mantra of only being concerned with itself seemed appropriate following a game where PSU might as well have been the only team on the ice - a 7-0 romp over the Vulcans in a successful return home and to ACHA competition.

The Lady Icers (3-3-0) took advantage of a return home and a return to ACHA competition by pounding the California University Vulcans 7-0 at the Ice Pavilion Friday night.

Indisputably, the star of this tilt was senior forward Sara Chroman, who had a hand in the first five goals of the game. Her salvo began on PSU's only power play opportunity of the game and continued through a pair of early second period tallies. Unsatisfied with the natural hat trick, she set up Kate Christoffersen late in the middle frame, then polished off her evening with a fourth goal early in the third. Brandwene was clearly pleased.

I'm no soon-to-be-DI hockey coach, but I do know that constant motion is a good thing in a hockey game.

Cara Mendelson and Elizabeth Denis (who also had two assists and a tremendous write-up in the Collegian this week) rounded out the scoring, while Madison Smiddy added a pair of assists. Denise Rohlik, Chelly Deiling, Allie Rothman, Katie Murphy and Weaver added solo helpers.

In contrast to last weekend, Katie Vaughan had a light workload, saving all 13 she faced before being lifted in the third to get Mary Tonetti some work.

Penn State will now plow back into NCAA Division III ECAC West competition with two games at Chatham November 4th and 5th. They'll have a nice measuring stick for that game ahead of time, as California will attempt to bounce back from the Friday's drubbing quickly with games against the Cougars Saturday and Sunday. The Lady Icers and Vulcans can then compare notes on Chatham if they so choose when they meet up again on November 11th.

Bear Down

Potsdam's Annmarie Lewis frequently has the puck in the vicinity of her stick.

Twenty days removed from their last game action, the 2-1-0 Lady Icers are back at it this weekend. Awaiting Josh Brandwene's charges is quite an interesting test, as the NCAA Division III SUNY-Potsdam Bears await Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. in Potsdam's Maxcy Ice Arena. Live stats may be available through Potsdam's website.

I say "interesting" because to be honest, I'm curious to see how the still-largely-unknown PSU team stacks up. We know what happens when PSU meets a DI team. We also know what happens against a mediocre ACHA D1 squad. But what about somewhere in between? Given that these are the first two of eight DIII games the Lady Icers will play this season, their score on this test might correlate pretty strongly with how the season as a whole turns out.

As little as we know about PSU, we may know even less about the Bears, which finished 10-13-2 last season, 6-11-1 and 7th place in the ECAC West behind fifth year coach Jay Green.

The reason for that is simple: the only game Potsdam has played this year was of the exhibition variety, defeating the Ontario Hockey Academy 1-0 on Tuesday behind Annmarie Lewis' power play goal and a combined 24-save shutout from Jen Conophy and Dawna Salvarinas. Lewis, a senior co-captain, was the Bears leading scorer last season with 11 goals and 15 assists. She's joined frequently joined in offensive exploits by Caitlin Manahan, also a senior co-captain, and sophomore Jessica Silveira. The team's strength, though, might be on the blueline, as senior Breanna Roy and sophomore Brittany Lucky lead a unit that allowed just 2.66 goals per game last season, despite a losing record.

Penn State, of course, turned in a dominating effort in recording a pair of wins against Buffalo at the Ice Pavilion three weeks ago. While Katie Vaughn was her usual stellar self (saving 30 of 32 for the weekend), it was two newcomers who stole the show. Freshman Tess Weaver, a Pittsburgh Penguins Elite product, had the look of a breakout star with three goals and three assists, and Elizabeth Denis (a former Bear herself, although of the Brown variety) added three points of her own.

Following the pair with the Bears, the Lady Icers will make a brief stop back in ACHAland with an October 28th tilt against California (PA) at the Ice Pavilion. After that, they'll once again hit the road to face a DIII team, this time one of Potsdam's conference rivals, Chatham, in Pittsburgh on November 4th and 5th.

W: Penn State 6-3 vs. Buffalo 1-1

Friday box score // Saturday box score

The Lady Icers got on track with a pair of satisfying wins against Buffalo at the Ice Pavilion this weekend to climb to 2-1-0 for the season.

Buffalo's Lauren Leeson opened the scoring with 9:12 left in the first period of Friday's game. But PSU's effort, much like the Blue/White game for the men, was driven in large part by outstanding games from newcomers as PSU ran off six unanswered from there. Tess Weaver, a freshman who comes from the same Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program that will give us Jill Holdcroft and Darby Kern next year, tied things up on a 5-on-3. New Jersey freshman Christina Hurle followed that up to give the Lady Icers the lead for good late in the first.

Weaver once again showed up in a big way in the third period, adding another goal and assisting on three as the Lady Icers cracked open a tight game. Brown transfer Elizabeth Denis added two goals of her own in the final stanza, while senior Kassidy Augustine was responsible for the remaining goal. The late-game dominance pleased Josh Brandwene.

Katie Vaughan went start to finish Friday night, saving 13 of 14. Buffalo goalie A.J. Sliwinski stood tall in the face of a barrage of Penn State shots, stopping 64 of 70 in defeat. On Saturday, Vaughan again got the call and stopped 17 more of 18 total shots.

That second game was even tighter through two periods as UB's Katie Wrona answered Lindsay Reihl's first-period goal with Allie Rothman in the box for contact to the head in the second. But once again, the Lady Icers rookies came through large following the second intermission, with Weaver (finishing the weekend with three goals and three assists) and rookie defender Madison Smiddy providing the final margin.

PSU is next in action on October 21st and 22nd at NCAA Division III SUNY-Potsdam. The Lady Icers will return to the Ice Pavilion (and to ACHA opponents) on October 28th against California (PA).

Lady Icers Release 2011-2012 Roster

The Lady Icers have released a roster for the final season of ACHA competition. This roster also constitutes official acknowledgement of a massive fourteen-player recruiting class for this season. We'll get into them a little more as we go, but for now, here is this season's team.

Defenders (10)       Yr.   Hometown         Previous Team
Kate Christofferson  Jr.   Trumbull, CT     CT Polar Bears
Sara Chroman         Sr.   Livingston, NJ   N.J. Rockets
Lisa Frank           Fr.   Hopewell, NJ     N.J. Rockets
Paige Harrington     Fr.   Mansfield, MA    Boston Jr. Terriers
Julie Horn           Jr.   New Windsor, NY  Brewster Bulldogs
Cara Mendelson       Fr.   Pittsburgh, PA   Steel City Selects
Allie Rothman        So.   West Chester, PA West Chester Quakers
Ashton Schaffer      Fr.   Midlothian, TX   Alliance Bulldogs
Lydia Scott          Sr.   Paoli, PA        West Chester Quakers
Madison Smiddy       Fr.   Grand Rapids, MI Detroit Honeybaked

Forwards (17)        Yr.   Hometown         Previous Team
Kassidy Augustine    Sr.   Harrisburg, PA   Hershey Jr. Bears
Chelly Deiling       Sr.   Hummelstown, PA  Hershey Jr. Bears
Elizabeth Denis      Gr.   Durham, NH       Brown University
Abbey Dufoe          Fr.   Malvern, PA      West Chester Quakers
Kirsten Evans        Jr.   Damascus, MD     Damascus
Katharine Gausseres  Jr.   Rockville, MD    Washington Pride
Dana Heller          Sr.   Kittanning, PA   Ohio Flames
Christina Hurle      Fr.   Bedminster, NJ   N.J. Rockets
Abby Miller          Sr.   York, PA         Susquehanna Rapids
Katie Murphy         Fr.   Novi, MI         Detroit Honeybaked
Lindsay Reihl        Jr.   Cheshire, CT     CT Polar Bears
Denise Rohlik        Jr.   Raleigh, NC      Car. Jr. Hurricanes
Sydney Sherman       Fr.   Flanders, NJ     N.J. Colonials
Samantha Summers     Jr.   Ellicott Cty, MD Susquehanna Rapids
Carly Szyszko        So.   Bensalem, PA     N.J. Colonials
Alex Warren-Caldwell Fr.   Arlington, MA    Boston Jr. Terriers
Tess Weaver          Fr.   Windber, PA      Pgh. Penguins Elite

Goaltenders (3)      Yr.   Hometown         Previous Team
Sarah Eisenhut       Fr.   Lansing, NY      Ithaca Shooting Stars
Mary Tonetti         Fr.   West Chester, PA West Chester Quakers
Katie Vaughan        So.   Pittsburgh, PA   Pgh. Penguins Elite

Only two of last year's players with remaining eligibility - Michelle Clarke and Lindsey Shuler - are not on this year's team.

Regardless, the nucleus of what was already a pretty good team (with just two departing seniors from last year's squad) will join with the large recruiting class to give the Lady Icers something that was sorely lacking at times last season - depth. It's probably fair to say that we've seen the end of the skaters-playing-goalie era at Penn State, and this is no longer a team that needs to stay healthy to compete. Just as on the men's side, this is a group that should jump from the second half of the top ten to national championship contender this season.

One more quick note in case you glossed over the roster: the group of incoming players includes Elizabeth Denis, who comes to Penn State from NCAA Division I Brown. She will undoubtedly bring the expertise and leadership of someone who has tasted the big time, a crucial asset to have during this transitional period.

The Lady Icers begin the final ACHA season, before joining the NCAA and College Hockey America next year, September 23rd at NCAA DI Robert Morris.