For the women’s hockey team, the goalies will be an area of the team which will be vital if the team is to do well in the league.
In the back, a trio of sophomores will be vying for the starting position between the pipes for the Red. Sophomores Liz Connelly, Sanya Sandahl and Kristin Perry will all be looking for quality minutes on the ice.
Although still a toss up, it looks as though Connelly will get the nod from head coach Carol Mullins. Starting in goal for the first weekend of play against Niagara University, the sophomore recorded 35 saves in the opening game, and in her 27 minutes of play during the rematch, nabbed another 14 saves.
Connelly, who played in most of the games for the Red last year finished the season with an impressive .898 save percentage and 657 saves.
“Liz brings some quickness and probably a little more awareness and a little more experience in net,” commented Mullins.
Unfortunately for the team, during the second game of the Red’s opening weekend, Connelly received a concussion that has left her cheering from the sidelines. She will not be allowed to return to the ice until she is symptom-free for a week.
However, “if she [Liz] were healthy, she probably would be slightly ahead of Sanya,” commented Mullins. But, “it’s not like every week we are going to always say [Liz] is number one, Sanya is right there and so is Kristin Perry.”
Mullins has already shown her faith in Sandahl by bringing her into the second Niagara game, where she grabbed 13 saves.
“Sanya is smart, she’s a tactician, she knows the game, and it’s really tough to score on her. She’s very deceiving as a goalie.”
Last season Sandahl played in nine games, recording 176 saves and allowing only 13 goals.
The third option for Mullins is Perry, who transferred to Cornell this year. Mullins has only seen Perry on the ice for about a month, but comments that “she’s come a long way. She’s also a smart goalie, and she is pretty quick as well.”
Right now the three goalies will be competing for playing time in practice and Mullins encourages the competition and also recognizes the importance of having three capable keepers.
“We have three goalies which can cover an injury, so we still have two really good goalies and if either one of them, Kristen or Sanya steps in during a game, I think the team will still be really comfortable.”
With one of these three keepers in the net, the Red looks prepared and capable of vying for an ECAC berth. Look for the team as they return home to Lynah Rink December 2 and 3, as it battles Ivy foes Harvard and Brown.
But beyond the battles within the next two weeks, these goalies will be looked to support the squad. With senior Trish Kemp just returning from playing with the Under-22 Canadian National team, the defense will have to adjust to the return of its leader, and these goalies must be able bail out the squad.
But they all have the talent to answer that call to arms.
Archived article by Kristen Haunss