O'Leary Nets First Career Goal as Cornell Edges Princeton

Saturday, October 29

Princeton, N.J.

6:00 PM

Princeton University

Cornell

Emerson O'Leary scored her first career goal Saturday against Cornell.

Photo by: Shelley M. Szwast

O'Leary Nets First Career Goal as Cornell Edges Princeton

October 29, 2022 | Women's Ice Hockey

Box Score

Rookie Emerson O'Leary scored her first career goal and classmate Katherine Khramtsov had her first career point on the play, but a third-period goal and then an empty-netter lifted No. 8/9 Cornell to a 3-1 win over No. 10 Princeton Saturday night at Baker Rink.

O'Leary's goal came with less than two minutes to go in the second period, tying the game at 1-1. The goal-scoring play began when Solveig Neunzert stopped a pass between two Cornell attackers closing in on the Princeton net. Mia Coene then picked up the loose puck and sent it forward for Khramtsov at center ice to find a charging O'Leary at Princeton's attacking blue line. O'Leary had the finish, working around Cornell netminder Deanna Fraser and sliding it home.

1' left, 2nd pd | #10 Princeton 1, #8/9 Cornell 1

Emerson O'Leary gets her first career goal, and Katherine Khramtsov gets her first career point on the helper! We're tied!

Watch the game here: https://t.co/M0qQ4AxABd pic.twitter.com/JV2wfJWzqK
— Princeton Women's Ice Hockey (@PWIH) October 29, 2022

"We moved Emerson (O'Leary) from center to the wing, put her up with Mia (Coene), and I think it really just helped her because she is a first year," Morey said of O'Leary. "It kind of protected her and insulated her and allowed her to play a little bit more offense, and she's offensively gifted. It was a beautiful goal and it was a great pass by Katherine (Khramtsov)."

The tie continued until just past the midway point of the third period when McKenna Van Gelder, who had Cornell's first goal with eight-plus minutes to go in the opening period on a power play, regained the lead for the Big Red. Izzy Daniel tacked on an empty-netter in the final minute.

Princeton outshot the Big Red 61-48 overall and 34-28 on goal, making it back-to-back games to start the regular season in which the Tigers outshot their opponent on goal. Princeton finished with 28 shots to 26 for No. 4 Colgate Friday night.

"Both nights, we outshot and out-chanced opponents that are ranked higher than us, and the puck did not bounce the way we needed it to bounce," Morey said. "It's hard, but we know we have a really good group. We have such offensively gifted players, so the message to the team was, be patient, keep buying in."

Tiger sophomore Jennifer Olnowich made her second consecutive start to the season, stopping a career-high 25 shots.

"It looks to me like half our roster is different," Morey said. "I think it's just a lot of teaching and it's not going to click in your first weekend."

The Tigers will hit the road for the first time on the season next weekend, traveling to Brown and Yale.