Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Hockey Opens 2015-16 Season at Mercyhurst
October 23, 2015 | Women's Ice Hockey
| Games 1 & 2: Princeton at Mercyhurst |
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| Gametime | Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. l Mercyhurst Ice Center |
| Monday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. l Mercyhurst Ice Center |
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| Game Coverage | Live Video ($) l Live Stats |
| Twitter: @PUTigers_Live | |
| Series Info | Princeton trails 8-7-1 (began 2000) Streak: L4 |
| Records | Princeton (0-0, 0-0 ECAC), Mercyhurst (0-3-1, 0-0 CHA) |
| Princeton | Roster l Schedule l Stats l @PWIH |
| Merychurst |
Roster l Schedule l Stats l |
PRINCETON, N.J. (10/22/15) - The Princeton women's hockey team opens the 2015-16 season this weekend when it travels to Mercyhurst. Game times are Friday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m.
EYE ON THE TIGERS
Princeton returns more than 82 percent of its scoring from last year, including the top five scorers from a year ago. Molly Contini led the team in goals with 16 and points with 28 and was followed by defender Kelsey Koelzer with 26 points. She led the team in assists with 18. Jaimie McDonell added 11 goals and 14 assists while Hilary Lloyd had 21 points. Leading last year's freshmen in scoring was Kiersten Falck, she had 15 points. Defensively, the Tigers need to replace Ali Pankoswki and Brianne Mahoney - who combined for 21 points. Princeton adds four skaters, defenders Stephanie Sucharda - a member of the Canadian U18 team, and Kimiko Marinacci as well as forwards Keiko DeClerk and Karlie Lund. Kimberly Newell returns for her final year in goal. She has been Princeton's starter since her freshman year and has career numbers of .916 save percentage and a 2.64 goals against average. Last year she posted a .925 save percentage and a 2.36 GAA.
SCOUTING THE LAKERS
Mercyhurst is 0-3-1 since starting the season on Oct. 2. The Lakers opened going 0-1-1 at Quinnipiac followed by dropping a pair at Northeastern last weekend. The team has played three exhibitions games as well to prepare for the season. Mercyhurst's power play is 2 for 17 (11.8%) and its penalty kill is 9 for 13 (69.2%)
Senior Emily Janiga and freshman Rachael Smith have four points apiece, with Janiga scoring three goals and one assist adding to her over 130 point career total. Smith is the team leader in assists with three and adds one goal. Sophomore Sarah Robello and senior defender J'nai Mahadeo have three points apiece. Three netminders have seen action this season. Sophomore Jessica Convery has the better numbers with an .889 save percentage and a 2.33 GAA. Freshman Sarah McDonnell has a 4.02 GAA and an .816 save percentage and classmate Kerri St. Denis has a 6.03 GAA and an .806 save percentage.
Mercyhurst went to the NCAA Tournament every year between 2005 and 2014. The Lakers best season was in 2009 as the national runner-up. The team also reached the national semifinals in 2010 (losing to Cornell), 2013 (losing to BU) and 2014 (losing to Clarkson).
THE PRINCETON/MERCYHURST SERIES
Mercyhurst holds a one-game lead in the series, 8-7-1. The teams first met in 2000 and played each other in a series from 2000-07.