Schenectady, NY – The Union
College Dutchwomen will entertain the number one ranked team in the
nation this weekend for a pair of ECAC women's hockey games. The
match-up between the Dutchwomen and the Dartmouth College Big Green is
the first for the two schools in women's hockey.
“We may not have the best record, and people are not expecting a lot out
of us this weekend,” said Union Head Coach Fred Quistgard when asked
about playing the number one team in the country. “But, it will be a
great opportunity to evaluate how far this team has come this year.”
Union is playing its first year of Division I hockey after four seasons
as a Division III program under Quistgard's leadership.
Union returns to the ice Friday night after dropping 6-0 and 5-2
decisions at the hands of Yale last weekend in New Haven, Connecticut.
The set-backs dropped Union's record to 3-18-1 and extended the team's
losing streak to 11 games, dating back to a 5-2 victory over Sacred
Heart on November 30.
Freshman goaltender Mandy Hanson (Brainerd, Massachusetts) made 47 saves
in the first game versus Yale as the Bull Dogs out shot the Dutchwomen
53-21. Classmate Lauren Carlson (Rochelle, Illinois) made 49 saves in
game two of the series as Union was out shot 54-13. Freshman Meghan
O'Connor (Portsmouth, Rhode Island) scored her sixth goal of the season
on a power play for the Dutchwomen, and sophomore Kate Gustafson
(Kenora, Ontario) scored her fourth goal of the season off a feed from
freshmen Elise Nichols (Pittsfield, Massachusetts) to complete Union's
weekend scoring.
After spending the first two thirds of the season ranked No. 2 or No. 3,
Dartmouth edged out Harvard and Minnesota for the No. 1 ranking in the
latest USCHO national women's hockey poll released on January 26. The
Big Green (14-1-2, 7-0-1 ECAC) received seven first place votes and 138
points, placing just ahead of No. 2 Harvard. Dartmouth is ranked No. 1
for the first time since the end of the 2000-01 regular season.
Dartmouth has moved up the rankings by going unbeaten (7-0-2) in their
last nine games. The Big Green opened the season No. 2 nationally and
held that position until a 0-0 tie with Mercyhurst on Dec. 14 dropped
Dartmouth to No. 3 behind Harvard. The Big Green moved past the Crimson
and back to No. 2 by defeating Harvard, 2-1, on Jan. 11. Dartmouth won
three games last week, including an ECAC series sweep of Colgate and
Cornell.
The Big Green has posted an impressive 6-1-1 record against ranked
opponents this season. With a 7-0-1 record, Dartmouth leads the ECAC
standings with 15 points. Sophomore Tiffany Hagge is tops on the Big
Green with 25 points, while classmates Katie Weatherston and Gillian
Apps each have 24.
After the weekend series with Union, Dartmouth will step outside of the
league on Feb.7-8 for a pair of games at national power Minnesota.