The women’s ice hockey team was back at it again this past weekend with back-to-back games against two of their NESCAC rivals. The Cards faced off against the Hamilton Continentals on Saturday and then took on the Connecticut College Camels on Sunday, looking to rebound from a pair of season-opening losses to defending national champion Amherst.
Up in Clinton, N.Y., Wesleyan took the lead early in the game against Hamilton, as Becca Koppel ’13 scored her first collegiate goal just 13 seconds into the first period off a feed from Julia Mulhern ’12. Hamilton’s Katie Zimmerman quickly managed to tie up the game, however, as she skated the puck down the ice and scored an unassisted goal nine seconds later. Almost halfway into the first period, Hamilton took the lead with its second goal of the period. The Cardinals stepped it up with five minutes left in the first period as Izzy Huston ’10 lit the lamp for the Cardinals and tied up the game 2-2, with the assist going to Alex Bean ’11.
The Cardinals fought hard in the second period, trying not to let the game slip away, but the Continentals could not be stopped. Outshooting the Cardinals 28-7, Hamilton entered the second intermission with a two-goal lead. In the third period, Hamilton took off and scored three more goals to win the game 7-2. Ultimately, Hamilton outshot Wesleyan in the last 40 minutes of the game 43-11, but Cardinal goaltender Ashleigh Corvi ’13 played a great 60 minutes, making 36 stops between the pipes.
The team finished up the NESCAC weekend with a loss against Conn. College on Sunday afternoon. The teams played to a 0-0 deadlock in the first period, but the Camels broke the scoreless tie four minutes into the second frame. The Cardinals continued to battle, but could not prevent Conn. College from adding its second goal with two minutes remaining in the period. The Camels scored again early in the third, but the Cardinals managed to defend well for the remainder of the game and take a 3-0 loss.
“It’s always hard to lose important games like this,” said tri-captain Erin Fitzsimmons ’10. “Ultimately we didn’t come out with our feet moving for a whole sixty minutes and both Conn. and Hamilton were able to capitalize on our mistakes. It’s still the beginning of the season and everything is working on coming together. We have a few kinks we need to work out, but the team really improved from last weekend and never gave up.”
Although the team suffered a shutout against Conn. College, Corvi equaled her career high for saves with 59 as the Camels outshot the Cardinals 62-19.
“We worked hard this weekend, but were unable to come away with a win,” said forward Jill Reynolds ’12. “I think we are improving with each game and we plan on going into this weekend’s game against UMass Boston with good attitudes and high intensity.”
The squad will host UMass Boston for its next game on Saturday, with the puck set to drop at 7:30.
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