Penn State Women’s Hockey Series Preview: LIU
Penn State checks off a first this weekend.
The blue and white will clash with the LIU Sharks in the first-ever series between the two programs, in its final road series of the regular season.
The LIU Sharks launched their program in 2019 going 14-18 overall and 11-9 in the NEWHA conference play. The Sharks however caught fire at the right time, and went into the NEWHA tournament the underdogs, but came out the champions after holding opponents scoreless through the entirety of the tournament.
Despite the youth of the program, the team is capable of winning in big spots, with a 13-10-3 record overall and an 11-1-2 conference record.
The great season has been amplified in the past week with the Sharks winning one of two against Sacred Heart while tying the second.
After that series, first-year goalie Tindra Holm and fellow first-year Natalie Korneta took home the NEWHA goaltender and defensive player of the week awards, respectively.
Holm stopped 71 of 73 shots sent her way this past week en route to the award. Korneta had five blocked shots on the weekend to help her take home the hardware as well.
The Sharks have allowed only 58 goals on the season with an average of 2.3 goals allowed per game. They are a defensive team through and through and will look to shut down the Nittany Lion offense that tends to be streaky.
For the Nittany Lions, their road stretch continues after a midweek bout with the Cornell Big Red. The team made up for the 6-1 loss they faced earlier in the season by dominating the Big Red on their home ice with a 5-0 victory, their first ever over Cornell.
Sophomore goalie Josie Bothun earned her seven shutout of the season blocking all 17 shots sent her way.
On the offensive side, after a quiet weekend against the CHA leading Syracuse Orange, New York native, Kiara Zanon led the way with two goals, with freshman Mya Vaslet, sophomore Alyssa Machado and junior Rachel Weiss all adding a goal as well.
The Nittany Lions will need Zanon and fifth-year senior captain Natalie Heising to step up on the road, and for Heising to tap into her veteran experience against the relatively young Sharks.
Entering this weekend the Nittany Lions sit just one game back of the Orange after tying and losing both games this past weekend at the Pegula Ice Arena.
The Nittany Lions will have to take care of business against a young and gritty Sharks team, whilst also hoping for the Orange to get knocked off by fellow CHA conference members, the Mercyhurst Lakers.
Dylan Price is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email dvp5625@psu.edu.
