About the Dutchwomen:
The Dutchwomen enter today's game with a four game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) with wins coming against Dartmouth and a sweep against RIT. First-year
Riley Walsh has two overtime winners and Friday scored the other game winner with 40.7 seconds to go in Saturday's 2-1 win over RIT. Union kicks of ECAC action against rival RPI. Union went 0-3 last season in all three meetings against the Engineers
King leads the team with 11 points (6g, 5a) and Walsh is right behind her with 10 points (6g, 4a). Sophomore
Sophie Matsoukas stopped 57 shots while going 2-0 over the weekend. Matsoukas has a 2.73 goals against average and a .917 save percentage.
About the Engineers:
The Engineers come to Messa Rink with a 0-3-1 record in their last four games against ECAC opponents. RPI erased a 3-1 deficit to force a 3-3 tie against Harvard last week. RPI had last week off and gets back to hockey action on Tuesday against Union. Ellie Kaiser leads the team in goals (2) and points (5), while tied for the team lead in assists (3). Amanda Rampado has appeared and started in all 12 games for RPI, posting a 2.59 goals against average and .914 save percentage this season.
Last Time They Played:
The last time these teams met was at the Capitol District's Mayor's Cup in Albany, N.Y. The Engineers topped Union 2-0. Matsoukas stopped 25 shots in the effort.
Historically Speaking:
Union has a 6-33-5 all time against the Engineers and are on a 3 game losing streak, with their last win coming in 2019. Union has averaged 1.43 gaosl in games against RPI all time.
In The Hunt:
Sophomore
Sophie Matsoukas has moved herself into the top three all time in wins for a goaltender in women's hockey history at Union with nine career wins. Matsoukas also sits in third in single season wins as well with six this season.
ECAC Players of the Week:
Riley Walsh was named ECAC Rookie of the Week after scoring three goals in her first weekend series and helping Union to a 1-1 record over the weekend. Walsh scored twice in her collegiate debut, with goals coming on the power play and the shorthanded. She is the first player to do this for Union since 2006. She added her third goal of the season on Saturday afternoon against UNH.
Senior
Emily King found the back of the net three times over the weekend and first-year
Stephanie Bourque tallied three helpers to help the Union College women's ice hockey team post a 1-1-0 record against the College of Holy Cross. King was named ECAC Hockey Forward of the Week and Bourque earned ECAC Hockey Defensive Player of the Week.
Riley Walsh earned her second ECAC Rookie of the Week honor for her five point weekend (1g, 4a) including the overtime goal in Union's 5-4 win over Dartmouth. Walsh becomes the first player in program history to win Rookie of the week multiple times.
Captains:
Senior
Emily King will serve as the lone captain for Union, while
Allison Smith,
Meredith Killian, and
Celeste Beaudoin will all serve as assistant captains for the upcoming season.
U.S. National Team Assistant Coach Josh Sciba:
Union College head women's hockey coach
Josh Sciba served as an assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Women's National Team. The United States returned home from the 2022 IIHF Women's Hockey World Championships with a Silver Medal, following a 2-1 loss to Canada in the gold medal game.
Sciba will get back behind the bench again in November for a three game Rival Series against Team Canada. Sciba will also be with the team in December for another two game Rival Series against Team Canada.
