PSU to Sponsor ACHA Women's D2 Team

Katie Vaughan might finally have a place in Penn State hockey.

Following rumors that scarce ice time was putting PSU's women's ACHA team in jeopardy for this coming season, the plan is apparently moving forward, according to a brief article posted to the ACHA's site:

As part of the on going NCAA advancement of the Ice Hockey program the Penn State Womens program will be moving into the Division 2 starting this upcoming year.

No details beyond that are known at this time, but they are expected soon.

That's certainly welcome news for the numerous players from last year's Lady Icers who did not make the NCAA roster, notably star goalie Katie Vaughan, along with Allie Rothman and Cara Mendelson on defense and Katie Murphy and Katharine Gausseres up front (I can't verify any participation - I'm simply naming significant players from last season who weren't seniors and aren't now on the NCAA team).

The "demotion" from D1 to D2 is probably a smart move, given the increasing wherewithal required to assemble a competitive D1 team on both the men's and women's sides, particularly in terms of travel and recruiting. It's largely axiomatic that a D2 team is the best way to go for a men's program seeking to co-exist with the NCAA. In fact, men's D1-NCAA setups are prohibited by an ACHA rule, although one that's never enforced. With the women, the evidence is a little less clear. NCAA DI schools Connecticut and Minnesota-Duluth have ACHA D2 teams, while Northeastern, Minnesota, Ohio State, Massachusetts, Vermont and Wisconsin were in D1 last year.

The differences between women's D1 and D2 include:

• Lower membership dues ($1050 vs. $1250)
• Lower games played requirements for tournament eligibility (six against three other D2 teams vs. 12 against six other D1 teams)
• D2 players do not need to be degree-seeking students, although all must pass at least six credits to be eligible
• Up to six years of total eligibility for players (D1 has a maximum of five)
• Shorter periods (17 minutes vs. 20 minutes)

D2 competition - introduced for women in the 2006-2007 season - would potentially give Penn State a much tighter geography than the Lady Icers' New England trips of seemingly every other weekend. Pennsylvania schools Slippery Rock, West Chester, California (a frequent Lady Icers opponent), Villanova and barely-out-of-state Delaware all played in women's D2 last year. Wisconsin-Stout defeated Alaska for the 2012 national championship, culminating a tournament featuring six of 23 teams.

Last season's Lady Icers, of course, went 12-7-1-0 against ACHA competition, part of a 13-14-3-1 overall record that included a historic upset of NCAA DI team Sacred Heart and the ECWHL regular season championship. Women's hockey at Penn State began for the 1996-1997 season and joined the ACHA in 2000 when it first added a women's division. Since then, it's enjoyed a highly-successful history that includes six national championship tournament appearances and a trip to the semifinals in 2002.

W: Penn State 0-2 at Chatham (NCAA DIII) 0-2

Collegian weekend recap // Chatham Friday recap // Chatham Saturday recap

Friday box score // Saturday box score

(links added as available)

If the Lady Icers keep playing like this, perhaps we should stop thinking of their schedule as “ambitious.”

Penn State’s second weekend road trip against NCAA Division III competition ended even better than the first: in 0-0 and 2-2 ties against the Chatham University Cougars. And while yeah, Chatham maybe isn’t the best measuring stick in the world (0-18-0 last year, with a goals for-goals against of 19-124), the simple fact remains that PSU is proving more than a worthy opponent for teams that are a step up from ACHA competition. It’s a reality that will serve the team well into next year and beyond, when teams like Division I power Mercyhurst begin their regular appearances on the schedule.

Friday’s game, as you might expect in a scoreless tie, was about the goaltenders. PSU’s Katie Vaughan (33 saves) and Chatham’s Megan Buchanan (45 saves) engaged in a stunning head-to-head showdown where neither woman blinked.

From a Lady Icers perspective, it was Katie Murphy (eight shots), Tess Weaver (seven), Elizabeth Denis and Sara Chroman (five each) who tested Buchanan most frequently, but to no avail. Chroman and Katherine Gausseres had breakaway attempts shut down by Buchanan, an Ottawa native. Vaughan’s most frequent nemesis was Sydney Williams, who had nine of Chatham’s 33 shots.

The next day brought some goals, although again in a level proportion. Denise Rohlik had a hand in both PSU ginos – first serving as primary assist on the Denis goal that tied the game at one at 14:36 of the first period, and just 60 seconds after the Cougars had drawn first blood. Then with CU’s Sara Forbes off on a checking penalty the 2011 World University Games vet, who received first-star honors in this affair, struck on the power play. Forbes atoned for the situation with her own power play goal early in the third period, to close the game’s scoring.

That’s not to say that there weren’t chances after that point. The Lady Icers rifled 16 shots on Kaitlynn Smith (who took over for Buchanan on Saturday) in the third period, including a breakaway by Tess Weaver, who then paid Chatham back for their denial with a crucial late blocked shot. PSU followed up by outshooting the Cougars 6-1 in the overtime period.

PSU's next outing, on Friday, is a one-game return to Pittsburgh - this time for a second game in two weeks against California (PA) in a rematch of the Lady Icers' 7-0 romp on October 28th. The following weekend, November 18th and 19th, Josh Brandwene's charges will host NCAA Division III SUNY-Cortland.

World University Games: Day 7

Women

USA Hockey recap // Box score

Team USA locked down the final semifinal bid in the women's tournament by whipping Great Britain 8-1. Lots of goals to talk about, so let's hit the recap.

Captain Rumsey had a goal and an assist.

ERZURUM, Turkey – Ramey Weaver (Eagle River, Alaska/ Robert Morris University Illinois) scored the game-winning goal and collected an assist, as the U.S. Women's National University Team earned an 8-1 win over Great Britain here today at the 2011 Winter World University Games. With the victory, the U.S. improved to 2-0-0-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L) and advanced to the semifinal round on Friday (Feb. 4).

"It looked like we had more jump in our step today, so we're back on track and feeling great," said Mo Stroemel, head coach of the 2011 U.S. Women's National University Team. "We'll relish this for a little while and then get ready for the next game."

Team USA opened the scoring just 46 seconds into the first period while on the power play. Weaver passed the puck to Megan Winters (Basking Ridge, N.J./ Northeastern University), who fired a slap shot from the high slot that beat Great Britain goalie Laura Saunders for the early lead.

Midway through the opening frame, Weaver scored the eventual game-winning goal on a feed from Ashley Rumsey (West Olive, Mich./ Grand Valley State University).

Great Britain scored early in the second period, but Team USA responded with two quick goals just 39 seconds apart to gain a 4-1 advantage. Following a Shea Crawford (Selbyville, Del./ Lindenwood University) 4-on-4 tally, Rumsey notched her second point of the game off a rebound after Allysson Arcibal's (Vista, Calif./ Lindenwood University) initial shot was blocked away by Saunders.

Just over three minutes later, Terra Payne (Gaylord, Mich./ Michigan State University) extended the U.S. lead to 5-1 heading into the final frame.

Charlotte Hoium (Falcon Heights, Minn./ Michigan State University) notched a a power-play goal early in the third period and Christina Young (Stafford, Va./ Michigan State University) followed with a goal 48 seconds later off a slap shot from the point to put Team USA ahead, 7-1.

Sarah Jensen (Albert Lea, Minn./ South Dakota State University) finished off the scoring with just under six minutes remaining in regulation.

Katie Vaughan (South Park, Pa./ Penn State University) made 11 saves in the win for the U.S., while Saunders stopped 43 shots in the loss for Great Britain.

Penn State Update

Both Lindsay Reihl and Denise Rohlik contributed to the win with a primary assist. Rohlik's was first, on Payne's late second-period even strength marker that made the score 5-1. Reihl's came on the next US goal, a power play tally by Hoium...both players earned a +1 rating for the game, as Reihl was also on ice for Jensen's goal with 5:55 left that capped the scoring...Rohlik registered two shots on goal, Reihl one...Reihl started and was once again paired with Lindenwood's Crawford...Vaughan was the starting goalie today and continued her strong tournament with stops on 11 of 12 shots. You can see her overall stat line just below - it's good.

Cumulative PSU Stats                        

                GP  G   A   PTS  +/-  PIM
Lindsay Reihl   5   0   2   2    -4   6
Denise Rohlik   5   1   3   4    +7   0

                GP   Record    SOG   SVS  SV%    GAA    SHO
Heather Rossi   3    0-0-0-3   95    81   0.853  5.25   0
Katie Vaughan   3    2-0-0-0   21    18   0.857  1.29   1
        
Other Games

Finland earned the No. 2 seed going into the semifinals by pounding Slovakia 7-0 behind Saara Tuominen's five points (2 goals, 3 assists) and an 11-save shutout from Anna Vanhatalo...Candice Styles scored three times, while Ellie Seedhouse and Breanne George each added two as the Canadians clinched the No. 1 seed with an 11-0 win over Turkey. Turkey has yet to score a goal in the tournament on either the women's or men's side of things.

Final Standings

     GP  W   OTW OTL L   PTS GF:GA

CAN  5   4   1   0   0   14  39:1

FIN  5   4   0   1   0   13  49:3

SVK  5   3   0   0   2   9   33:11

USA  5   2   0   0   3   6   25:18  
GBR  5   1   0   0   4   3   11:36
TUR  5   0   0   0   5   0    0:88

Upcoming Schedule

February 3rd
No games.

February 4th
Semifinals:
SVK-FIN 9:00 a.m., USA-CAN 1:00 p.m.

February 5th

Bronze medal game:
SVK/FIN-USA/CAN 2:30 a.m.

5th place game:
TUR-GBR 5:00 a.m.

Gold medal game:
SVK/FIN-USA/CAN 6:00 a.m.

Men

For the first (and only) time all tournament, there were no men's games today as the teams prepare for the quarterfinals tomorrow.

Cumulative PSU Stats               

        

                GP  G   A   PTS  +/-  PIM

Tim O'Brien     3   0   0   0    +1   0

Eric Steinour   3   0   0   0    -2   4

Upcoming Schedule

February 3rd

9th-12th place playoffs:

TUR-SLO 4:00 a.m., KOR-ESP 5:00 a.m.

Quarterfinals:

SVK-CAN 8:00 a.m., JPN-KAZ 8:00 a.m., USA-BLR 12:00 p.m., CZE-RUS 12:00 p.m.

February 4th

11th place game:

TUR/SLO-KOR/ESP 4:00 a.m.

9th place game:

TUR/SLO-KOR/ESP 5:00 a.m.

5th-8th place playoffs 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

February 5th

7th place game 9:00 a.m., 5th place game 1:00 p.m., semifinals 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

February 6th

Bronze medal game 4:30 a.m., gold medal game 8:00 a.m.

World University Games: Day 2

Men

Information about this one was extremely slow getting over from Turkey, so absent an official write-up, here's the USA Hockey blog post about the game, which offers the best detail of anyone out there.

End of the 1st period in Turkey, and the USA trails 2-0. The 2nd goal coming on the power play. #23 James Telfer has suffered an injury and is out of the game. It has has been a very physical game for both teams, everything that is moving is being hit. Shots in the first were KAZ-13, USA-10. #1 Erik Hudson starts in goal for Team USA.

2nd period – Team USA in the box at 13:13 for roughing. Kazakhstan to the powerplay. Kazakhstan cashes in from the point to make it 3-0. That’s their 2nd goal on the powerplay….Another penalty to the US, this time for hooking. Kazakhstan back on the powerplay……USA kills that one, but takes another penalty for delay of game, shooting the puck out of the rink, with 3:29 left in the 2nd. USA kills the penalty, and the period ends. Shots were 11-9 for Kazakhstan that period. After two, shots are 24-KAZ, 19-USA. USA is 0-3 on the powerplay. Kazakhstan is 2-4.

3rd period – Kazakhstan tallies early to make it 4-0….and then the USA takes a roughing penalty at the 18:51 mark…Kazakhstan connects again to make it 5-0, with it’s 3rd pp goal…11:00 left, still 5-0…USA on the PP with 9:40 left…make that a 5-on-3 now…but the USA can not connect on either chance. Another pp for the USA late in the game, but it’s an 0-fer fday on the pp. Final – 5-0 for Kazakhstan.

Also, here's some video evidence of Borat's revenge.



Penn State Update

Tim O'Brien and Eric Steinour both did well on their faceoffs, with 3-0 and 3-1 records, respectively. Steinour had three shots on goal (of Team USA's 37) playing on a line with Oakland's Kevin Kranker and Adrian's Tom Ciaverilla, while O'Brien added a shot and played with Dearborn's Brandon Contratto and Rhode Island's Kyle Krannich. Both players were on ice for a Kazakhstan goal in the third period - Steinour first, then O'Brien - but both avoided participating in the parade to the penalty box that ulimately played a huge role in Team USA's undoing.

Cumulative PSU Stats

                GP  G   A   PTS  +/-  PIM
Tim O'Brien     1   0   0   0    -1   0
Eric Steinour   1   0   0   0    -1   0

Other Games

In the other Group C game today, Slovakia beat up on underdog Spain 8-1...the Slovaks are Team USA's next opponent at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning, followed by Spain in the last game of group play on Tuesday...Belarus defeated South Korea by a similar 8-1 score, thanks to goals from eight different players, including Pavel Razvadouski's three-point effort.

Current Standings

Group A

     GP  W   OTW OTL L   PTS GF:GA
CZE  1   1   0   0   0   3   16:0
RUS  1   1   0   0   0   3    3:2
JPN  1   0   0   0   1   0    2:3 
TUR  1   0   0   0   1   0    0:16

Group B

     GP  W   OTW OTL L   PTS GF:GA
CAN  1   1   0   0   0   3    9:0 
BLR  1   1   0   0   0   3    8:1
KOR  1   0   0   0   1   0    1:8
SLO  1   0   0   0   1   0    0:9

Group C

     GP  W   OTW OTL L   PTS GF:GA
SVK  1   1   0   0   0   3    8:1
KAZ  1   1   0   0   0   3    5:0
USA  1   0   0   0   1   0    0:5 
ESP  1   0   0   0   1   0    1:8

Upcoming Schedule

January 29th: RUS-CZE 5:00 a.m., JPN-TUR 9:00 a.m., CAN-BLR 1:00 p.m.
January 30th: KOR-SLO 5:00 a.m, SVK-USA 9:00 a.m., KAZ-ESP 1:00 p.m.
January 31st: JPN-CZE 5:00 a.m., TUR-RUS 9:00 a.m., CAN-KOR 1:00 p.m.

Women

Recap // Box score

To the USA Hockey recap we go. It's long, because that's what happens when you drop a 15-bomb on someone.

Rohlik, because Ducie is bad at choosing colleges.

ERZURUM, Turkey – Paced by a seven-point effort from Justine Ducie (Sandwich, Mass./ University of Rhode Island/1-6), the U.S. Women's National University Team defeated Turkey, 15-0, here today at the 2011 Winter World University Games. Eight players registered two-point games and 13 players scored for the U.S., which is competing in the women's tournament for the first time.

Team USA took an early 2-0 lead just over two minutes into the first period. Megan Winters (Basking Ridge, N.J./ Northeastern University) notched the eventual game-winner at the 1:14 mark, and Terra Payne (Gaylord, Mich./ Michigan State University) scored just :58 later.

Samantha Redick (Anchorage, Alaska/ Lindenwood University) gave the U.S. a three-goal cushion less than three minutes later, when she netted a shorthanded tally. At the 7:23 mark, Shea Crawford (Selbyville, Del./ Lindenwood University) increased Team USA's lead to 4-0.

The U.S. then scored three times in under three minutes to go up 7-0 in the opening frame, with two goals from Erica Wynn (Anchorage, Alaska/ Lindenwood University) and one from Christina Young (Stafford, Va./ Michigan State University). Shelby Kucharski (Livonia, Mich./ Grand Valley State University) assisted on Wynn's pair and Ducie collected assists on all three tallies.

Emily Nelson (Harper Woods, Mich./ University of Michigan) added a power-play goal with less than three minutes left in the period to give Team USA an 8-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The U.S. then scored three goals to go up, 11-0, midway through the second frame. Ducie fired a shot past Turkish goaltender Berfu Merve Bolulu at the 2:54 mark, then Ashley Rumsey (West Olive, Mich./ Grand Valley State University) and Ramey Weaver (Eagle River, Alaska/ Robert Morris University Illinois) scored 32 seconds apart.

With just over five minutes remaining in the middle frame, Nelson tallied her second goal of the game and Denise Rohlik (Raleigh, N.C./ Penn State University) scored 1:23 later to lead the U.S. into the third period up, 13-0.

Allysson Arcibal (Vista, Calif./ Lindenwood University) and Tiffany Juha (Cape Coral, Fla./ California University of Pennsylvania) each notched a goal in the final frame to complete Team USA's 15-0 victory.

The U.S. will next face off against Finland on Sunday (Jan. 30) at 8 a.m. EST.

Penn State Update

Today Katie Vaughan was in net, backed up by Heather Rossi. The result was probably the easiest shutout Vaughan will get in her life, as she faced two shots over the entire game, including none in the third period and none from closer than the top of the circles...with Team USA's 15 goals scored by 13 different players, there were plenty of stars today, but Denise Rohlik has to be one of them. She scored a late second period goal to make it 13-0, assisted on the 9-0 and 10-0 goals earlier in the period, and was on ice for an incredible seven of the 15 goals, including Samantha Redick's first-period shorty. Perhaps contributing to that plus-minus: a 17-7 faceoff record...Lindsay Reihl had an assist on Emily Nelson's second period goal and sat for a first-period trip that was successfully killed (obviously).

Cumulative PSU Stats

                GP  G   A   PTS  +/-  PIM
Lindsay Reihl   2   0   1   1    -1   4
Denise Rohlik   2   1   2   3    +7   0

                GP   Record    SOG   SVS  SV%    GAA    SHO
Heather Rossi   1    0-0-0-1   23    18   0.783  5.00   0
Katie Vaughan   1    1-0-0-0   2     2    1.000  0.00   1
        

Other Games

The favored Canadians dominated Slovakia (47-6 shots on goal) and sat on three first period goals as the final 3-0 margin. Beth Clause had the six-save shutout...Finland turned in a similarly thorough effort against Great Britain, except with double the goals in a 6-0 win.

Current Standings

     GP  W   OTW OTL L   PTS GF:GA

CAN  2   1   1   0   0   5    5:1

FIN  2   1   0   1   0   4    7:2

USA  2   1   0   0   1   3   16:5  

GBR  2   1   0   0   1   3   10:6

SVK  2   1   0   0   1   3    5:4

TUR  2   0   0   0   2   0    0:25

Upcoming Schedule

January 29th: No games.

January 30th: CAN-GBR 4:00 a.m., FIN-USA 8:00 a.m., TUR-SVK 12:00 p.m.

January 31st: USA-CAN 4:00 a.m., SVK-GBR 8:00 a.m., FIN-TUR 12:00 p.m.

Women's World University Games Preview

USA Hockey is sending a team to compete on the women's side of the World University Games for the first time in 2011, and much like on the men's side, the ACHA will be supplying the players for the team - including four Penn Staters. They'll be coached by another, Lady Icers head coach Mo Stroemel, and will fight with five other countries for the gold medal.

The Team

Penn State fans should have an especially high degree of familiarity with the team's goaltending, as both Heather Rossi and Katie Vaughan ply their trade at the Ice Pavilion. In this case, familiarity definitely does not breed contempt, as the tandem has been the strength of the Lady Icers all season. You needn't go any further than Rossi's 48 saves on 51 shots in a huge 4-3 win at Rhode Island on October 23rd. Even in defeat, the pair shines - see Rossi's 50 saves and Vaughan's 40 saves in tight losses to No. 1 Lindenwood early this season for reference.

Rossi (left) and Vaughan (right). It's pretty safe to say that there are more rubber streaks on their home whites than I can count.

Vaughan told her hometown paper last month that she's excited for the trip for more than just the hockey.

"I love to travel and to go to new places," she said. "So I'm super excited to go to Turkey. I was told that if I go, there's a museum I have to see and I definitely hope we get to go to the hot springs."

In front of the two PSU goalies will be another Penn Stater, sophomore defender Lindsay Reihl. She's the youngest member of a highly-experienced backline that includes some of the ACHA's best, including Lindenwood's Shea Crawford, a second team All-American last season, teammate Nicole Konsdorf and Michigan State's Christina Young.

Defender Reihl, forward Rohlik, head coach Stroemel.

While the team has a distinctly defensive feel (in contrast to the men's side), they should be able to hold their own on the scoresheet as well. To that point, I present Robert Morris (IL)'s Ramey Weaver, who has a video game-like 33 goals and 72 points in 21 games played - both numbers are good enough to rank in the top three of women's Division 1 among teammates who, unfortunately, are Canadian. Michigan State's Charlotte Hoium (23 goals, 16 assists), Grand Valley State's Ashley Rumsey (24 goals, 14 assists) and Shelby Kucharski (21 goals, 13 assists) and Michigan's Emily Nelson (18 goals, 13 assists) also rank among the top ten scorers. Lady Icer Denise Rohlik adds depth to this group.

The Rest of the Field

Canada, Finland, United States, Slovakia, Great Britain and Turkey are the six teams competing in Erzurum.

Unlike on the men's side, the women's tournament is not split into pools. The six participating countries play a round robin schedule, after which the top four advance to the semifinals.

While this is the first year of US participation, women's hockey actually made its WUG debut in 2009 in Harbin, China. Team Canada defeated the hosts for the gold medal, while Finland took the bronze. With China not participating in this year's tournament, Canada has to be considered the clear favorite. I'll let Canadian Interuniversity Sport tell the story on our neighbors to the north.

Five players return from the 2009 championship squad including rearguards Carly Hill of McGill and Kelsey Webster of York, as well as forwards Andrea Ironside of Wilfrid Laurier, Mariève Provost of Moncton and Courtney Unruh of York.

Provost was one of Canada’s most prolific scorers two years ago finishing the seven-game tournament with four goals and three assists for seven points. Unruh tallied five points (4-1-5) including the game-winning goal in the title match against China.

“I like our mix of returning players and newcomers. It’s critical at the international level to have experience on your side, to have leadership in order to bring the team together in challenging situations,” [head coach Les] Lawton commented. “We think we have the best in CIS women’s hockey. That was our goal from day one.”

Defending the Canadian net will be a pair of fifth-year goaltenders, Brock’s Beth Clause and Laurier’s Liz Knox.

After Canada, Finland obviously has to be considered a contender as well. Team USA is sort of a wild card in the competition - the deficit between Canada, the US, and the rest of the world in women's hockey has been well documented, but will that apply here? My guess is that the Americans will represent well, and there's a great chance of the women finishing higher than the men, but I'm going to take a wait-and-see approach before I go penciling in a US-Canada gold medal game.

Konsdorf, for her part, told the Saginaw News that she's taking a measured, yet optimistic approach to expectations.

“[Our goal is] obviously, to win,” she said. “But to place in the bracket would be awesome.”

The Schedule

Full competition schedule here.

Here are Team USA's games, again, a nice reminder of why I love competitions on the other side of the world so much - the men get me at work, the women when I'm supposed to be sleeping.  

Group Play

Thursday, January 27 vs. Slovakia, 2:30 a.m.

Friday, January 28 vs. Turkey, 4:00 a.m.

Sunday, January 30 vs. Finland, 8:00 a.m.

Monday, January 31 vs. Slovakia, 4:00 a.m.

Wednesday, February 2 vs. Great Britain, 5:30 a.m.

Medal Round

Friday, February 4 - Semifinals

Saturday, February 5 - 5th place game/Gold and Bronze Medal games