by Janet Schultz, NYHOL
The collegiate women’s ice hockey schedule is in full swing as the first semester comes to a close in December.
Utica College (UCHC) has a 6-1 record, seeing their only loss a 5-1 to Elmira. The Pioneers are looking to faceoff against Hamilton College on Sunday, Nov. 28 and then play Alvernia College and Morrisville before the holiday break.
A group of New Yorkers fill the Pioneers roster including: Abby Lillis (Buffalo Bisons/Frontier, Lakeshore, Orchard Park of WNYGVIH), Erica Sloan (St. Lawrence Steel), Callie McLaughlin (North Hampton School), Ava Suda (Buffalo Bisons), Courtney Staniszewski (Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles), Sirena Fitzery (Buffalo Bisons; Frontier, Lakeshore, Orchard Park of WNYGVIH), Erica Sheaffer (North Hartford/Wilkes College), Brooke Hubert (Oceanside), Lauryn Brown (Eden/Syracuse Valley Eagles/Hamburg, Eden,West Seneca of WNYGVIH), Alexa Carlon, (Lakewood/NJPE). Teachout is leading the scoring with 4 goals and 4 assists.
Coach Dave Clausen is in his 20th season and is the Pioneers first and only coach.
A look at Pioneer leading scorers includes Georgianna Santullo with 14 goals and 9 assists; and Sloan, 7 goals/12 assists. A shout out to our NY ladies–Fitzery, 1 goal, 5 assists; Carlon, 2 goals, 2 assists; Lillis 1 goal, 3 assists and Staniszewski, one goal and one assist.
Sloan was named UCHA Player of the Week on November 22 and Santullo was named Player of the Week on November 8 and 15 with three hattricks, including a natural hattrick in the Conference opener.
Up in Syracuse the Orange are 5-6-2 overall and facing Vermont this weekend (Nov. 26/27) followed by league rival Mercyhurst on December 3 and 4. They close out with a doubleheader against Princeton on December 10n and 11 before heading into the holiday break. They are 4-2-0 in CHA play.
The only New Yorker playing for the Orange is Marielle McHale from Clifton Park and the Williston Hampton School.
Coach Paul Flanagan has been the head coach since 2008.
CHA honors went to Victoria Klimek as Forward of the Week, Arielle DSmet, Goaltender of the Week and Mae Batherson, Defender of the Week for November 22. Prior to that Jessica DiGirolamo was named Defender of the Week; Sarah Marchand, Rookie of the Week and DiGirolamo was Defender of the Month for October.
Colgate is a strong contender in the ECAC with a 13-4-1 overall recored and 5-2-1 in the conference. They will head off to the Smashville NCAA Showcase in Nashville over Thanksgiving.
Head Coach Greg Fargo is in his tenth season and is assisted by Chelsea Walkland who is from Pittsford and played collegiate hockey at Robert Morris, followed by serving as an assistant coach at Oswego and RIT.
Danielle Serdachny leads the Orange in scoring with 9 goals, 17 assists.
Elmira continues its winning tradition with a 7-0 overall record and 6-0 in the NEHC. The Soaring Eagles will play in the Panther/Cardinal Classic Thanksgiving Weekend facing off against Plattsburgh, Middlebury and Endicott.
New Yorkers on this year’s roster include Jenna Ellis of Brewerton/Ontario Hockey Academy; McKenzie Schmidt (Baldwinsville/Syracuse Valley Eagles; Lexi Hoffmann (Bellmore/Portledge School) and Sophie Compeau (Potsdam/Syracuse Valley Eagles).
Eliza Beaudin has 5 goals and 7 assists to lead the Soaring Eagles in scoring.
They are coached by Tim Crowley, in his sixth season; assisted by Erin Gehen who played for the NWHL Buffalo Beauts and Kenmore/Grand Island of the WNYGVIH.
Oswego sits comfortably with a 4-2-1 overall record. They play in the NEWHL and face William Smith on November 23 and Cortland on December 3 before taking a break.
Coming from New York are Mach Hull (Northwood School); Kamryn Barnes (St. Lawrence Steel); Lauren Jones (Nazareth College); Megan Teachout (Skaneateles); Taylor Hudon (Nazareth College).
Coach Mark Digby joined the Lakers in 2019 as an associate coach before taking over the reigns from Diane Dillon.
Another contender in the NEWHL is Cortland with a 5-1 overall record heading into Thanksgiving Weekend. They have had one game postponed against Canton and their only loss was at the hands of Plattsburgh. Coming up is Oswego, Canton and Arcadia Colleges.
If you are following the New York ladies this roster includes Dany Donegan (Clayton/Cornwall Typhoons); Megan Cramer (Cicero/Northwood School); Monica Cahill (Oswego/Lysander Lightning); Jayden Kelley (CP Dynamo); Quinn Metcalfe (Rochester Monarchs); Jillian HLasnick (Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles); Emily Kromer (Nazareth College/WNYGVIH Frontier/Lakeshore/Orchard Park); Molly McCabe (Webster-Thomas Boys Hockey); Nat O’Brien (NJPE and Niagara County of WNYGVIH); Elena Eichmann (Syracuse Nationals) and Amanda Gaffney (Amherst/Williamsville of WNYGVIH). Also Grace Schnorr (Camillus/Little Caesars); Mia HLasnick (NJPE) and Katelyn Kantor (Syracuse Nationals).
Schnorr is leading the scoring with 7 goals and 2 assists followed by O’Brien with 2 goals, 3 assists and Jillian HLasnick with 2 goals and 5 assists.
Coach Rick Filighera is in his sixth season with Cortland.
The Big Red of Cornell are 4-5-1 overall and faceoff against Northeastern on December 4 and 5. Three Western New York players fill out the roster and include Taylor Pietrowski (Orchard Park/Nichols School); Abby Ruggiero (Amherst/Monsignor Martin Team of WNYGVIH) and Lindsay Browning (Penfield/Buffalo Bisons).
Gillis Frechette is leading scoring with 4 goals and 6 assists.
Lily Delianedis was named ECAC Rookie of the Week on November 15.
Coach Dough Derraugh has been behind the Big Red bench since 2005.
Hamilton College is just opening up and have a 3-0 overall record. They opened their season against league rival Amherst and beat them in both games and followed that with a win over Morrisville. Sunday they have non-conference game against Utica and then take on another league rival, Williams, on December 3 and 4.
Closing out the semester they will travel to Nazareth and play St. Michaels at home.
Local names to watch are Claire McGennis (Buffalo/Nichols School); Ella Crawford (Bedford/Kent School); Abby Kuhns (Skaneateles/Loomis Chaffee School); Nancy Loh (Fayetteville-Manulis School and Syracuse Nationals).
Loh has a goal and 2 assists and Kuhns has 3 assists as they just start out the season. Look for more to come from them.
Sidney Molnar (Norfolk/Taft School) has a 98.5 save percentage and recorded a record high 36 saves in a 2-0 win over Amherst.
Emily McNamara is in her ninth season coaching the team and has an overall record of 101-79-21.
William Smith College came on the women’s hockey scene five years ago and this year made a move from the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) to the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) as they start a new chapter to their history. Matt Cunningham is in his first season as Head Coach after being named to the position in August. He is the third coach of the team.
They are 2-6 over all right now as they have a heavy schedule in the coming weeks facing Oswego, Morrisville, Plymouth, Castleton and Williams before the New Year rings in on January 1, 2022.
Some familiar names to New York hockey followers are Izz Friedman (Buffalo/Nardin/Monsignor Martin of WNYGVIH); Kayla Ketchabow (Rye Brook/Greenwich) and Sofia Ferguson (Canterbury); Annabel Ziskin (Smithtown); Annie Hauser (White Plains/Berkshire HS) and Emma Faso (Clarence/Clarence-Amherst-Sweethome of the WNYGVIH).
Mia LaPlante is leading the scoring with 4 goals and 1 assist.
Finally in the Central section of the State is Morrisville with a 2-5-1 record and playing in the NEWHL. They just came off a loss to Hamilton and will face William Smith on November 30 followed by Utica and Buffalo.
Goalie Elizabeth Timby comes from Williamsville (WNYGVIH) and has had three starts in six games with a .881 save%.
Hannah Martin (Brockport/NJPE); Elly Gamble (Potsdam/Syracuse Nationals); Alana McDonald (Potsdam/Vermont Stars); Miranda Bookman (Manulius/Northwood School); and Kendal Kalinowski (Buffalo/Bisons) all hail from New York State.
Rhys Brown leads the scoring with 5 goals and 2 assists.
Coaching is Melissa Lomanto who has been with the Mustangs since 2014.