By Phil Akre
Quinnipiac’s women’s ice hockey team traveled up to a cold Hamilton, New York, where they shutout the Colgate Raiders 2-0. The Bobcats now have four straight wins against the Raiders.
In the Bobcats’ previous three games, their seven goals were scored by six different players. In tonight’s win over the Raiders, the trend continued as two players who hadn’t scored in the teams past four games found the net.
“Balanced scoring is always a great place to be,” head coach Cassandra Turner said. “We were really fighting to create more second chances, second shots. It’s exactly what we’ve been striving for.”
Things got going early on in the first two minutes, as T.T. Cianfarano scored the game’s first goal and her twelfth of the season thanks to a beautiful assist from Melissa Samoskevich. It was Cianfarano’s first goal since December 3rd.
Aside from Cianfarano’s goal, the Bobcats didn’t possess the puck much in the first, as the Raiders had 10 shots on goal compared to Quinnipiac’s seven.
Throughout the second period of the game, it became clear that it was a very evenly matched game. Puck possesion was even between both teams and shots on goal spiked, with 18 combined from both squads.
Colgate wasn’t able to keep Quinnipiac away from the net as Raquel Pennoyer scored off an assist from Randi Marcon with five minutes left in the second. It was the continuation of the emergence of the Bobcats’ newfound diversity of its goal scorers.
“It was a really fun goal,” Pennoyer said. “It all started back in our D zone. The D just sped up there and Randi (Marcon) took it down, all I had to do was tap it in.”
Last time out against the Bobcats, the Raiders fell 3-1. It was the team’s second consecutive loss after it opened its season with 13 straight wins. Head coach Cassandra Turner knew Colgate would come out strong.
“No doubt,” Turner said when asked if Colgate was looking for revenge. “I think that we saw one of Colgate’s best games of the year. They possess the puck they look to attack. They had a plan today.”
The Bobcats’ second win over Colgate highlighted the team’s excellent play in conference games this season, as they now sit at 9-3-2 in ECAC play. The team feels good about its chances when it comes to facing conference opponents.
“I think it definitely gives us more confidence,” Pennoyer said after the win. “We just try to be the hardest working team out there.
Quinnipiac’s defense faced a tough task against the ECAC’s fourth best scorer, Jessie Eldridge, but the Bobcats prevailed in this mini-battle, as they limited her to just three shots on goal.
Quinnipiac goaltender Sydney Rossman recorded her sixth shutout of the season and is just two away from Quinnipiac’s all-time record. For Coach Turner, she’s confident that Rossman can reach the historic milestone.
“100%,” Turner said with a smile. “I don’t know if she thinks about it, but she is certainly a goalie that is capable of it. No question on my mind.”
Quinnipiac is now 3-1-1 in its last five games and will look to continue its strong second half play when it hits the ice tomorrow against Cornell University.
