By: Kirby Paulson
The scoring was limited but the feelings weren’t as the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey team defeated the Union College Dutchwomen 1-0 on Senior Day.
Six Quinnipiac seniors were honored for their efforts over the last four years in a pre-game ceremony. The players have allotted over 230 collective points up until now and all were apart of last season’s conference championship and record setting season.
Quinnipiac head coach Cassandra Turner spoke of the impact these players have had on the program and the future of the game.
“We talk often about how valuable it is in terms of your experience here and trying to leave that jersey in a better place than it was when they came,” Turner said.
She then spoke of a text message she received from an alumni of the program regarding how proud the former player was of her role in continuing the program’s future, environment and culture. Turner was clear in that this class has helped in that effort.
“This group of seniors has been able to do that for us,” Turner said. “They’re going to again be the most winningest class in our program’s history; a lot of character, great leadership, every single person in that class was a captain of their team, we’re really going to miss this group of seniors.
One of those seniors, goaltender Sydney Rossman, earned her 26th career shutout in the effort and second in a row stopping all ten of the shots she faced. The milestone set a new all-time shutouts record for the program previously held by former Bobcats Chelsea Laden and Victoria Vigilanti.
Rossman credited her success and earning her milestone to a strong team effort.
“Personally, it’s huge; obviously it’s cool to have milestones here in this program especially senior year but it’s more of a team award,” Rossman said. “I only got nine shots today so that’s a team defense thing and I think a shutout record isn’t just my record it’s the whole team’s record.”
Furthermore, Rossman touched on what the last four years have meant to her but mentioned the fact that this group hasn’t closed the door just yet.
“It’s been an incredible four years,” Rossman said. “It’s Senior Day obviously but I mean we’re not done yet, we have playoffs next weekend; I’ve grown so much as a person and a player and we have the whole staff and team and players to thank for that, we went from freshmen to graduating seniors and I think we’re just looking for a good run here in the playoffs.
The first period left the scoreboard empty, though Quinnipiac was able to pour 19 shots on net. During the frame, Bobcats’ points leader T.T. Cianfarano went awkwardly into a board battle and went facedown on the ice. She was tended to by the trainers and skated off on her own power. When asked, Turner declined comment on her injury.
Quinnipiac jumped up on the board first 9:04 into the second period. Positioned to the glove side of goaltender Amelia Murray, freshman Abby Cleary sent a rebound into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal. The point would also register in the books as the game-winner and the only puck to find its way past the goal line.
“It was actually great to get the first one off my back,” Cleary said. “But it was really nice to do it for the seniors and get that win.”
Cleary also spoke of the impact this senior class had on her.
“It’s been amazing,” Cleary said. “[Emma] Woods is my big sister so it’s been great to have her here and then Syd [Rossman] in net obviously and all the seniors have been great leading this group and leading this team.”
Though Cleary’s goal would stand alone for the Bobcats on the scoreboard, Turner was optimistic that one-goal games like these will better suit her team for the postseason.
“We’ve had so much adversity in terms of having those one goal games and I think it’s going to bode well for us in the playoffs,” Turner said. “We’re not uncomfortable in those moments and you saw that today.”
With the win, Quinnipiac has locked itself in the fifth seed for the ECAC postseason tournament. The Bobcats will travel down to New Jersey next week to take on the Princeton Tigers in the quarterfinal round.
