It will be a big weekend for the Cornell women’s ice hockey team. The Red opens its season against two perennial contenders, first matching up against Brown tomorrow, then Harvard on Sunday on the road.
Head coach Carol Mullins pointed to the importance of the games. Cornell begins the season against two of the tougher teams in the Ivy League. As she said, this weekend, “sets the tone.” But she also expressed confidence in her team.
“We’ve prepared pretty well to be a match for any team and to come out [of this weekend] with a pair of wins.”
Senior Dianna Bell agreed emphatically. “These games set a big precedent for the rest of the season,” she said.
Taylor McLean chipped in with eight.
Sophomore Marisa Bianchi will also be counted on to carry some weight against the Cavaliers on Friday night.
For the women, it will be a quick turnaround, as they will be back on the East Hill on Saturday night for an 8:15 p.m. match against the Cleveland Polo Club at the Oxley Center. The men, on the other hand, will have a chance to relax, as they don’t take the field again until next Friday, when they host Skidmore.
And the Red isn’t worried. “The players are ready to go,” said Mullins.
The team has practiced hard in the past three weeks on the ice, focusing on developing its fitness and skill.
“This is the most prepared we’ve been in my four years here,” said senior forward Erinn Perushek, “There’s been a giant shift in talent in the league.”
Now the field has opened up, and Cornell is looking to make a mark.
Brown and Harvard present Cornell with different challenges. Brown brings a bigger more physical team to the ice, while Harvard’s players are smaller and quicker goal-scorers. The Red will attack them
Archived article by Alex Fineman