SCHENECTADY, N.Y. - Union will meet their Route 7 counterparts Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for a home-and-home series starting January 25. Union will host the first match on Frday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m. while Renselaer will host Saturday, January 26 at 3:00 p.m.
Follow the Dutchwomen on Twitter at UnionWHockey for in-game updates about the Dutchwomen all weekend long.
Last Time Out
Dartmouth Recap
Dartmouth Box Score
Harvard Recap
Harvard Box Score
Union (7-14-3, 0-9-3 ECAC Hockey) could not earn any conference points over the weekend as the Dutchwomen were defeated by Dartmouth and No. 2/3 Harvard 3-0 and 1-0 respectively.
Shenae Lundberg tallied 52 saves in the two games over the weekend and holding the nationally ranked Crimson to just one goal. Additionally, Lundberg eclipsed 1,000 career saves in her performance against Harvard, becoming the eighth goaltender in program history to reach that mark.
The Dutchwomen power play could not generate anything offensively as Union was 0-for-7 on the weekend, which included the Big Green penalty kill going a perfect 6-for-6 in their win. However, Union became the second team all season to hold the Crimson to just one goal in the loss. The other game was against Boston University in which Harvard conceded their only loss of the season back on November 18.
Scouting Rensselaer
After putting together a season-high four game winning-streak, Rensselaer (6-15-3, 4-7-1 ECAC) has not won a game in their last five contests. The Engineers managed to earn a tie against Dartmouth in a 2-2 draw but were defeated by Harvard 3-1.
Freshman Alexa Gruschow leads the Engineers in scoring with nine goals and 11 assists. Taylor Horton also has nine goals on the season and has seven helpers as well. Jordan Smelker and Eleeza Cox each have eclipsed 10 points this season with 14 and 12 respectively. Horton has two short-handed goals, which ranks tied for sixth in all of Division I.
In net, Kelly O'Brien has started 19-of-22 games thus far, compiling a 5-13-2 record. The sophomore boasts a 2.62 goals against average with a .897 save percentage. Brianna Piper has seen limited time in net with a 1-2-1 record this season, posting a 3.64 goals against average and a .853 save percentage.
Rensselaer averages 2.21 goals per game while conceding 2.28 goals per game. The power play unit ranks 21st in the nation going 14-for-95 (14.74%) while the penalty kill unit ranks tied for 26th going 89-for-111 (80.2%).
Route 7 Series
Rensselaer leads the overall series with a 3-19-3 record. Union won the last meeting between the two schools in a 3-2 win at Houston Field House giving the Dutchwomen their first ever win in Troy. The last time Union defeated Rensselaer at Messa Rink dates back to October 30, 2004 in a 4-1 win.
Break Out the Erasers
Christine Valente continues to excel for the Dutchwomen special teams unit as she netted her fourth power play goal in the loss against Quinnipiac. Her four power play goals tie a single-season record, which is held by Lauren Hoffman (2007-08) and Elizabeth Flanagan (2001-02). Her four power play goals ranks tied for 25th in Division I and tied for seventh in the ECAC.
Coach Claudia Asano Barcomb has posted the most wins in her head coaching career in a single season with seven thus far. She needs four more to tie the program high in a single season in the Division I era (Fred Quistgard - 11, 2002-03).
Getting the “W”
The Dutchwomen have registered seven wins this season, the third most in their program history and the second most in the Division I era. Union has compiled the most wins since the 2009-10 campaign in which Claudia Asano Barcomb guided the Dutchwomen to five wins. Additionally, the Dutchwomen set a new season-high in their Division I era in non-conference wins with seven this season.
Record Day
In Union's win against RPI, Courtney Turner and Christine Valente combined for three power-play goals in a game, a program first. Additionally, Turner's performance with two goals and an assist in the win has held as the season-high by any Dutchwomen skater thus far.
Flashing the Glove
Shenae Lundberg registered over 1,000 career saves during her 34-save performance against No. 2/3 Harvard. The Peterborough, N.H. native ranks third among all goaltenders in saves (536) in the ECAC. She also set a new personal season-high in saves with her performance over the weekend against Harvard and Dartmouth back on January 4 and 5th. She also tallied her first collegiate shutout in a 1-0 win against Penn State.
Open Fire
When the Dutchwomen have scored the first goal and leading after one, Union holds a 4-2-1 record against opponents.
Record Book Watch
With the Dutchwomen's wins against Penn State, Shenae Lundberg notched her seventh win of her career, putting her tied for second in all-time wins in program history with Heather Olney (2001-02). Lundberg also ranks second in wins in a single season (6), ninth in career saves (966) and within the top-10 in save percentage and goals against average in a single season. Teammate Alana Marcinko has six wins, which ranks tied for third in team history and ranks fifth in career saves with 1239. In addition, one more shutout will give the netminder the all-time record in career shutouts. Forward Stefanie Thomson is now tied for ninth in career goals (14) with Molly Flanagan (2002). Christine Valente trumped her season-high of three power play goals last year with her score against Quinnipiac (Dec. 1). Valente needs one more to break the program high in power play goals in one season. Only two Dutchwomen skaters have accomplished this feat, Lauren Hoffman (2008-09) and Elizabeth Flanagan (2001-02). Additionally, she ranks tied for second in career power play goals with Jackie Koetteritz '10 and Elizabeth Flanagan.
No Sophomore Slump
Sophomores Christine Valente and Shenae Lundberg are on pace to set personal bests this year. Valente is one more point away from tying a new career-high. Lundberg has set career highs in every statistical category for goaltenders and earned her first shutout of her collegiate career in a 1-0 win against Penn State.
Penalties
The Dutchwomen are the third lowest penalized team in Division I averaging 6.88 (77-for-165) penalty minutes per game and second lowest in the ECAC. Union has skated in two games in which the Dutchwomen have not committed a penalty in regulation (Dec. 8 vs. Brown and Jan. 4 vs. Harvard). Rensselaer ranks in the middle of Division I in terms of penalty minutes, averaging 9.58 minutes per game.
ECAC Accolades
Lundberg compiled a 2-2-1 overall record in the month of December with 144 saves, a .928 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average. The Peterborough, N.H. native was credited with two wins against Maine and also earned a tie against Yale. Additionally, she tied her career-high of 41 saves in a losing effort against Quinnipiac.
This was the first time a Union women's hockey player has been named for a monthly award by the ECAC. Lundberg has also been named ECAC Goaltender of the Week twice this season back on October 23 and November 13.
Two or Less
Union has compiled a 5-3-3 record when their opponent is held to two goals or less. In games that meet that criterion, Union has outscored opponents 21-17. Games in which opponents that are limited to two goals or less against Union have come down to one goal or a draw ten times this season.
Nailbiters
In the seven games that Union has won this season, six of the games have come with a one-goal margin. In each of those wins, Union has scored in the third period for the game-winner. The Dutchwomen are 6-3-1 in games decided by one goal. Union's win against Rensselaer came down to a third period power play goal by Courtney Turner to give the Dutchwomen a 3-2 win.
Light the Lamp
When Union scores at least three goals in a game, the Dutchwomen are 5-0-0. However, when an opponent holds Union to under three goals, Union is 2-14-3.
Game-Tying Goals
Rhianna Kurio's last minute game-tying goal against Princeton (Nov. 10) and Alex Tancrell-Fontaine's power play goal against Yale (Dec. 7) puts the duo with eight other skaters in the ECAC with game-tying goals this season.
Power Play
The Dutchwomen have tallied 13 goals this season on the man-advantage, which ranks tied for third most goals on the power play in a season with the 2011-12, 2005-2006 and 2004-05 squads. In the 2008-09 season, Union posted their most power play goals in a season with 15.
When Valente Registers a Point
Christine Valente has registered at least one point in every tie or win the Dutchwomen have earned this season. The only exception was Union's win against Penn State in a 2-1 victory. (Jan. 12). Union is 6-1-3 when Valente has tallied a point. In games that Valente has not registered a point, the Dutchwomen are 1-13-0.
Class of 2016
Rebecca Babiak, Jessica Kaminsky, Courtney Turner and Kathryn Tomaselli have all netted goals on the season. Kaminsky is tied for the team lead in goals, assists and points with sophomore Christine Valente with six. The freshman class also leads all classes in goal scoring with 13. The Class of 2016 has already surpassed the scoring of all freshman in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 years. Additionally, this freshman class has equaled the points to the Class of 2015.
