Tag: Eileen Flynn ’20
Field Hockey on an Early Season Roll
by The Cowl Editor on September 12, 2019
Friar Sports
Friars Upset #24 University of Maine
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
As the field hockey season is finally underway, it is common to focus on the seniors of the team. Will they be able to step out of their underclassmen shoes and fill the leadership positions?
Not only are they the players the rest of the team looks up to, they also have to play knowing this will be their last season at Providence College.
In particular, Kara Sanford ’20 is working hard to make this season the best one yet.
“This year I believe we have a really strong team,” said Sanford. “From the very start of preseason the girls were working hard and treating every practice like it were a game. I think the reason we’ve been so successful thus far is because everyone is on the same page and we’re all doing whatever we can to be better than we were the day before.”
With a tough schedule ahead of them, the team knew they had to put in work during the preseason. Head Coach Diane Madl, who has 17 years of experience coaching the Providence College Field Hockey Team, helped train her team in the months before the start of the school year.
The first game of the season was hosted by PC and was a matchup between the Friars and the Eagles of Boston College. Although PC struck first, Boston College tied the game in the second quarter. After a competitive first half, the Eagles took the lead with a quick goal. The Friars had several chances, but the game ended as a 2-1 victory for the Eagles.
With the first game under their belt, PC was ready to take on their next opponent in Maine. 24th-ranked Maine made the Friars work for their first win of the season in an overtime 5-4 victory. This win gave the Friars an energy boost that would last all the way until the next weekend, where they faced two fellow Rhode Island rivals, Brown University and Bryant University.
Goalie Lydia Rice ‘19GS picked up two shutout wins on the weekend as the Friars beat Bryant 2-0. Sanford played an important role during the game versus Brown, scoring two back-to-back goals for the Friars in less than three minutes to give PC the 3-0 win.
Sanford admitted, “It felt great to score those two goals.” She was quick to recognize the work her teammates put in to help make it happen.
“I think those two goals got us all fired up to the point where we were ready to dominate the rest of the game, even more than we were before.” Sanford also acknowledged her team’s impressive performance and said she hopes they will carry it into the upcoming games as well.
Despite the long road ahead of them, the Friars have given us a sneak peek into a successful season. Sanford is already looking forward to facing teams they have lost to in past years, including the University of Connecticut and Liberty University. Their next home game will be on Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. against Old Dominion University.
PC Softball Still on the Hunt
by The Cowl Editor on May 2, 2019
Friar Sports
Breakout Season Gives Friars Postseason Hopes
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
As we take a look back on this year, it is hard not to talk about the Providence College Softball Team. The season started off with a doubleheader in the Sunshine State, the Friars faced University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Georgia Institute of Technology in the River City Leadoff Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. While the rest of the school was in the middle of winter, the Lady Friars were warming up for an impressive season.
PC played their next tournament the following weekend and faced teams such as St. Joseph’s University, University of Kansas, and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Although the team did not leave Florida with a winning record, the team was finding their rhythm and working through the kinks. The next team trip came at the beginning of March during the College’s spring break.
Allison Abbatiello ’19, one of the seven seniors on the team, says her favorite team memory was when the girls went to a Yankees Spring Training game. She said that even though “there were only about five or six of us who are diehard Yankee fans, the game was a really special experience.” The team spent their spring break bonding and with the new coaching staff, there were a lot of new relationships that needed to be built.
Jill Karwoski was named the head coach of the Friar’s softball team at the beginning of this year. With past experience as an assistant coach for the Friars in 2013, Karwoski was welcomed with open arms along with Assistant Coach Bree Nasti.
Abbatiello is just one of the many seniors on the team who have helped with the transition of leadership. “Although there was an unexpected adjustment to our program, I remained calm and became supportive of my teammates and new coaches.”
The team chemistry was evident in their performance during the week in Florida, when they won four out of the five games. The College won close match-ups against Furman University, Central Michigan University, United State Military Academy, and Saint Francis University.
The momentum was not stopped with the change in weather, back in New England the Friars were continuing to play well against top teams like Boston College. Daniela Alvarez ’22, pitched her seventh complete game of the season and her third shutout.
Competition is always amped up a level when it is time to play the Big East teams. St. John’s University won two out of the three game series, however, the 10-6 victory for Friars was promising for their future.
The team went on to sweep two strong Big East teams, Creighton University, and Butler University. Their most recent win was extra special for Abbatiello because in the midst of a close game, she reached a milestone she has been working towards her whole career at Providence College.
On senior day nonetheless, Abbatiello made perfect contact with the ball and sent it over the fence for a three-run home run. Vanessa Portillo ’19 followed fellow senior Abbatiello’s lead and expanded the lead for the Friars to 4-0 after she hit a home run as well.
“During my last home game of my collegiate career, I hit my first home run which was shortly followed by another home run from Vanessa Portillo. It was so exciting and a great way to conclude the seniors’ final game in Friartown.”
Although there will be no more home games for the Friars, their season is all but over. Make sure to follow along as the team plays University of Massachusetts-Amherst and Georgetown University, and hopefully gets a chance to compete in the Big East championship.
PCI: Who Will Win The NCAA Frozen Four?
by The Cowl Editor on April 4, 2019
PCI
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
This particular season of hockey has been very competitive; however, there is one team that has had a difficult season and has proven their talents. I believe the University of Massachusetts-Amherst hockey team will win this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. With a very tough schedule, UMass gained respect and attention throughout the season as they beat out teams like Providence College, Boston University, and the University of Maine. They have an impressive 30-9 record this season, making them a top four team in the nation all year. Maybe even more impressive is their 18-1 home record at the Mullins Center. The Minutemen came up short in the Hockey East semifinals against Boston College, and I believe this is exactly what they needed to push them harder in the weeks leading up to the NCAA tournament. This acted as a wake-up call to the Minutemen and helped them realize what needed to change before they took on stronger and more talented teams at the national level.
They have a star studded roster, with solid depth behind them that is ready to go the distance in the NCAA. The defensive end is held down by Hobey Baker Finalist and generational talent, Cale Makar. The sophomore captain was the fourth overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft and has led the team with 48 points in 39 games so far this season. On the front end, the trio of Jacob Pritchard, Mitchell Chaffee, and John Leonard have put up a staggering 125 points combined this season. This is all tied together with the second-ranked keeper in the nation, Filip Lindberg, who has a remarkable save percentage of .939.
The team demonstrated their ambition to prove they are the best team in the nation when they dominated Notre Dame University in the West Regional game. UMass came out fast and furious, determined to get the first goal of the game. After one came another, and then the rest was history. Once UMass starts rolling, it is very hard for any team to stop them. In the games versus both Harvard and Notre Dame, UMass led in scoring opportunities and completely controlled the game. They outscored their opponents by a total of 8-0, while also outshooting them by a large margin of 70-30.
UMass is headed to face the University of Denver next. If UMass continues to play like they have been this entire year, they should secure a spot in the National Championship game. The tough schedule UMass faced throughout the season has prepared them to take on a strong team like Denver.
Friars History: 2013 XCC Underdogs
by The Cowl Editor on February 7, 2019
Friar Sports
Coach Treacy Discusses Special 2013 Cross Country Season
by Eileen Flynn ’20
For the past 33 years, Providence College has been lucky enough to have one of the best cross country and track coaches in the nation. Ray Treacy ’82 came back to coach in 1984, just two years after he graduated. The running program at PC has grown into a powerful dynasty, finishing on the podium in seven different seasons over the course of the last 30 years. I recently got a chance to ask Coach Treacy a few questions about his time at the College. When asked if the big wins and success stories of his former players help him return each year with the same energy, Treacy smiled thinking about the past. “It definitely keeps you motivated. There is a turnover every year, you lose some great runners and bring in others. The cycle has been pretty good to us over the years. Each group that comes into the program motivates you in a different way.”
Although Coach Treacy enjoys every year, there are obviously some seasons that are more memorable than the rest. Luckily for the Friars, there have been two in the past 25 years that have been extra special. In 1995 and again in 2013, Providence College clinched the highest title in the nation and became NCAA champions. Treacy described the season leading up to the 2013 race and the hard work it took to come out on top. “We had the top-three runners in the country on our team: Sarah Law, Emily Sisson, and freshman Catarina Rocha. Our number five person, who is just as important as the number one person, was Grace Thek. Unfortunately, she didn’t race that season until the week before the Big East.” At the pre-nationals meet, PC and all the other contenders were out-raced by Georgetown. Without Thek, Coach Treacy appreciated the lack of attention his team received during the season. He wasn’t nervous about losing a couple spots in the national ranking. In fact, he was grateful that it lightened the pressure on his athletes.
“After we introduced her at the Big East meet, and it went really well, we knew we had a really good chance of winning it.”
Big East was first on the agenda and the athletes from the College were focused and prepared. “We dominated that day. We had three in the top four and Catarina finished in 7th while Grace was closely behind in 13th.”
The confidence that came with winning the Big East helped the Friars in the national competition. Luckily enough, there were no injuries in between races. The three high-profile, all-American runners for Providence were ready to lead their team for one final race. Coach Treacy was grateful for the shortcomings in his 2011 and 2012 seasons because he thinks his team learned a lot from losing. On a very windy day in November, the Friars beat teams like University of Arkansas, Georgetown University, and University of Arizona and took the national title for the first time in over 15 years. “A fall could put an end to your chances of winning so it was all about staying on your feet and executing the race to the best of our ability and we knew we’d win if we could do that.”
It takes a certain type of coach to lead a team to victory. When asked about his coaching style, Treacy gave some insight into how he manages his team. “It’s a very individual sport and we treat everyone individually. You’re a team until you step on the line, you’re an individual from the time the gun goes off to the time you finish and you’re a team again at the finish line. It’s a matter of everyone doing their job on that day, and if everyone does their job than you’re going to be successful.” And successful these Friars were, in 2013 and in seasons since.
This past season was not exactly what Coach Treacy was hoping for, but even the Friars are allowed rebuilding years. “When you don’t go to the NCAA for us, that’s not good. A lot of things didn’t come together for us at the end of the season. To be successful at that level, you have to be good, but you also have to have a little bit of luck as well.” Looking forward, there is hopefully some luck in the future for the Friars. Although they will have a young team by normal standards, Coach Treacy is excited about the new talent joining the experienced group of runners. And with that Coach Treacy tells me, “I am just as excited about what I do now as I was 30 years ago.” The PC family is forever grateful to have a coach and person like Treacy on campus, and will be expecting great things as he continues his coaching career.
Men’s Swimming Tops Crusaders
by The Cowl Editor on January 24, 2019
Friar Sports
Women Fall Short Despite Multiple First Place Finishes
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
Throughout the season, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Teams have battled hard against Bryant University, Iona College, Fairfield University, Brown University, and Villanova University. Despite coming up short at the start of the season, the team proved their strength and potential during the Harold Anderson Invitational.
A definite highlight of the season for the Friars, the invitational gathered teams together in Kingston, Rhode Island on Nov. 16-18 at the University of Rhode Island. Facing rivals like Bryant, University of Maine, and URI, the team had to show up each day with the desire to win. After a full weekend of close races, the women finished in third place, ahead of the College of the Holy Cross, Bryant, and the University of Maine. The men impressively placed first in the invitational and worked together to beat the pool of teams that the women also out-raced.
This momentum helped fuel the team’s energy for their senior meet this past Saturday, January 19. The men and women on the PC Swimming and Diving team gathered together in the Taylor Natatorium for their last home meet of the season. Despite the brisk weather outside, the intensity and praise for the seniors made for a fun atmosphere to compete in. The Holy Cross Crusaders traveled from Worcester to face a relentless group of Friars coming off of a tough schedule this season.
Lauren Zawacki ’21 finished first in the 50-meter freestyle, while her two teammates, Jennifer Bankes ’22 and Kathryn Presley ’22, placed on top in the 400-meter freestyle and the 100 meter breaststroke, respectively. Despite their efforts, the women’s team fell to Holy Cross in a close score of 136 to 161.
On the men’s side, Ryan Trammell ’19 decided he was going to make the most of his last time competing at PC. Although already holding the program record, Trammell improved his time in the 100-meter breaststroke to a quick 1:06.22. “It was really special to be able to improve my record one final time. It’s great to know I finished off with my best and gave it everything I could.” Justin Viotto ’22 followed Trammell’s lead by improving upon the program record he already held as well in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:07.03.
When asked more about his experience on Saturday, Trammell explained how grateful he is for his teammates and how he will miss competing with them next year. “I really love this team and the support I have received over my four years has been awesome.” With the help of his teammates, the men’s team was able to clinch a win over Holy Cross, a special memory for his last meet on campus. “Getting to race in front of a home crowd, cheering on my teammates, and watching the team do well is what makes all the hours of practice and pain worth it,” said Trammell.
Trammell, along with his teammates is looking forward to his final Big East Championship appearance on Feb. 20. “I have a few individual rivals on each of the other teams so obviously I’m looking to beat out those guys for the top of the podium.” Competition aside, Trammell is quick to say he will cherish his last couple of meets, enjoying the moment and swimming alongside his teammates.
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on January 17, 2019
PCI
High School Athletes Should Be Able to Reclassify
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
High school is usually described as four years of your life spent learning and growing up. There is, however, a new trend for aspiring collegiate athletes. Some families decide to plan ahead for their children’s athletic careers and have them repeat a year of high school with the incentive of improving their skills in a specific sport.
Many people disagree with parents that allow this and accuse them of teaching their kids a bad life lesson— putting sports in front of school. I believe that high schoolers should be allowed to reclassify for several reasons.
First, just because a student is repeating a grade does not mean they are exempt from doing the work again. All student athletes are still required to complete the specific classes their high school offers for that grade. Athletes are typically busy, with practices after school, games, and additional training. Repeating a grade gives student athletes the opportunity to learn the material again and grow intellectually, while also improving athletically.
Sports often play a very important role for kids as they are growing up and it is an opportunity to learn important life lessons. If a parent decides to hold their child back to repeat a grade, who are we to try and stop him or her from gaining another year full of learning from these lessons in sports and in school?
Another reason high school students should be allowed to reclassify is because each child develops physically at different times. If a freshman has not yet hit his or her growth spurt, he or she still has to tryout against their classmates who have already reached their full height. Reclassifying gives students a fair opportunity to compete against their other classmates by giving their body the time to catch up with everyone else’s.
If student athletes are looking to play a sport in college, the recruiting process takes a long time. If students repeat a year in high school, this gives them more time to reach out and contact the scouting team from their desired schools. Students that repeat a year of school show they are committed to their sport and are willing to put in the extra work in school and in the sport.
One more year in high school should not be looked upon as a mistake, but rather as a chance for the student to gain an extra year to grow physically, emotionally, and intellectually.
Women’s Tennis Senior Game
by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018
Friar Sports
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Tennis Team wrapped up their regular season play this past Thursday, April 12, on their home court. After a season full of indoor matches, the brisk air was welcomed by the players and brought a surge of energy to the team.
The team hosted Quinnipiac University for their Senior Day match, honoring the one senior, Katie Marvin ’18, for PC. Over 80 people gathered to watch Marvin’s last match on Providence College’s campus. Each fan was given a pink Friar’s Tennis T-Shirt to wear in the crowd. The cheers from the sea of pink right next to the courts added to the competitive atmosphere that afternoon.
Although Quinnipiac started strong, sweeping all three doubles matches, the Friars made sure to give their fans something to cheer about. Marvin won her singles match 6-4,6-2 and teammate Aidan Epstein ’20 won her match 6-2, 7-5. With both of these personal victories, Epstein was quick to name this game her favorite match of the season.
Epstein stated how Marvin’s energy and bright personality will be missed next year, “She always knows how to make a serious situation fun.” Epstein expressed how proud she was of Marvin to stick with tennis for all four years of college, unlike a few players that started out with her.
“Katie and I play next to each other and are there to cheer each other on throughout our matches.” This bond does not just exist on the court; Epstein explains how Marvin plays an important role in her pre-game ritual as well. “Me and Katie go get LaSalle before every home game and then join our team in the training room to mentally and physically prepare ourselves for the match.”
Marvin, Epstein, and the rest of the Friars have had to fight through a tough schedule this spring. PC beat Sacred Heart University 5-2 earlier in the season, but fell to tough opponents such as Harvard University, Marist College, Brown University, Villanova University, and St. John’s University. The competition, however, has only helped prepare the team for their upcoming Big East Tournament in Cayce, South Carolina that starts on April 25.
Epstein and the rest of the Friars are patiently waiting for the draw to come out later this week and to find out who they will play.
“I am excited to go and to see all the Big East teams in one place” Epstein states.
The tournament is set up differently this year. There is no cancellation draw and, therefore, is single elimination.
When asked what her team is doing to prepare for this tournament, Epstein explains that three players have recently been fighting the flu however, they are working hard and playing as much tennis as they can.
Tennis, Softball Kick Off Spring Seasons
by The Cowl Editor on February 15, 2018
Friar Sports
PC’s Spring Teams look to Get off to a Hot Start
by Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
Softball:
The Providence College Women’s Softball Team traveled to the University of Central Florida’s “Friends of Jaclyn” Tournament on Feb. 9 to 11. Facing four tough opponents, the Friars went 0-4 the first two days of the tournament. However, Brittney Veler ’18, stirred up some momentum her team needed to get the season going. With her impressive RBIs and variation of hits, the team was inspired on their last day of the tournament, just in time for the match-up against the University of North Carolina.
The game started off quiet, two innings passed and both teams still had a zero under their names on the scoreboard. Emma Lee ’19 began the third inning with a leadoff single. After a few more pitches, Lee made her way over to third, stealing two bases. Vanessa Portillo ’19 brought her teammate home with an RBI single.
The Tarheels did not take long to respond to the one run deficit. In the bottom of the third, UNC tied the game at 1-1. In the top of the 5th inning, Mackensie Compton ’20 and Veler worked together to set up Portillo yet again. Portillo responded with a clutch sacrifice fly, sending the winning run across home plate. Miranda Trinidad ’21, pitched a complete game and held the Tarheels at just one run. PC finished the tournament on an upset, handing ranked UNC their only loss of the weekend.
Veler tallied a .400 batting average over the course of five games. The senior had six hits, a double, a triple, and four RBIs. The Big East named Veler to the weekly honor roll after noticing her impressive performance. Although this was not her first time being recognized, Veler said she was excited to start off her final season as a Friar with this accomplishment.
After a busy weekend away, Veler looked ahead to the upcoming season. “We have a team of veterans; we only lost two players, so we have a lot of experience.” Veler mentioned the previous years’ heartbreaks where her team was just short of qualifying for the Big East Tournament. However, Veler is confident that this year her team can “break through” past outcomes and have a better ending.
When asked about what games she was most excited for on this season’s schedule, Veler was quick to name St. John’s University. “That team has rocked us every year I’ve played them; they have a powerful program with a head coach that was once a stud pitcher at Providence.” Veler hopes to beat this team at least once before she has to hang up her cleats. Other match-ups the outfielder is looking forward to include games against DePaul University and Villanova University. Although she loves beating a team on the competition’s turf, she tells me there is nothing better than the comfort of a Ray breakfast and the walk to Glay Field for a big game.
Veler only has a few more walks to her home field before she graduates in the spring. Veler has been playing softball since age six, and she is both sad and excited about her transition into the “real world.” She said that “it is much more than saying good bye to the sport, there were so many ups and downs, so many places it brought me, and so many emotions that are all wrapped together.” She has a few different paths in mind for after graduation. Whether it be a career within the organization of Major League Baseball or in the field of health policy and management, Veler is excited to find out.
As for the rest of the season, she is not losing focus. Veler tells me the key to success for her team is to “stick to the PC way.” She has faith in her coaches to keep pushing her team forward and to keep reminding them that no matter what field they are on, “they own it.”
Tennis:
The Providence College Women’s Tennis Team is patiently waiting for the snow to stop and for the wind to die down so they can start practicing for their 2018 spring season. This past fall, the Friars defeated teams from Johnson & Wales University and the College of the Holy Cross. The team lost two close matches, 4-3, against Fairfield University and Assumption College. When they partcipated in the Quinnipiac Invitational, the Friars displayed promising talent on the second day. In a complete transition from the first day of tournament, three PC players played their way to the semifinals in their respective brackets.
Due to the Friars’ younger roster, this inconsistency in performance can be expected. However, with the fall season under their belts, the team has matured together and have high expectations for their spring season. There are a total of six underclassmen on the team, three freshmen and three sophomores. Katie Marvin ’18 and Risa Takenaka ’19 will lead their younger teammates with their experience and talent.
Takenaka explained how she led her teammates by example during the fall season. “I think I was able to set an example for the team on how to be a competitor on the court when playing tough players,” she said. Since the spring season is filled with tough competitors, the team will need to prepare. Head Coach Jakob Kleason will return for his third year at Providence College.
Saturday, February 3 marked the season opener for the team against Saint Peter’s University where the team got the season off to a hot start with 7-0 sweep.
The next day the Friars faced off against a tough Siena College team in Albany, New York. The Friars fought hard but ultimately lost 5-2 though many of the matches were tight until the end. Takenaka was the only player to pick up a win in the single matches for PC.
Other opponents the team will face this season include Butler University, Dayton University, College of Charleston, Harvard University, Villanova University, St. John’s University, and Brown University. Takenaka is already looking forward to the matchup against Harvard. She said, “They have a really strong lineup, and it’s always a fun time playing as the underdog.”
The Big East Tournament will proceed during the last week in April in Cayce, South Carolina. The Friars are looking to redeem their 4-0 loss to Villanova in the previous 2017 Big East Tournament. The Lady Friars are ready to start their spring season, despite the winter weather.
Lacrosse Gears Up for Spring Season
by The Cowl Editor on January 25, 2018
Friar Sports
by Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
The Providence College Men’s Lacrosse Team has been waiting for a chance to play another game since the gut-wrenching Big East Championship game last May. The Friars upset Big East rival Villanova University in the semi-final game, winning their first ever Big East Tournament win and advancing on to the championship game. The team played their hearts out against defending champion, Marquette University. They fell to the Golden Eagles by just one goal on their home turf, concluding their 2017 season with a record of 14-7.
The Friars have had the past eight months to work hard in their off-season, using this heartbreak to motivate them for a 2018 season with better results. Head Coach Chris Gabrielli added Conner Byrne ’18, and Brendan Kearns ’19 will join returning leaders, James Barclay ’18, Tate Boyce ’19, and Austin Goltz ’17 as captains.
The returning captains will lead by example, and continue their successful careers as Friars. Barclay helps protect Boyce as he holds up the defensive end; he has caused 35 turnovers and has started all 47 games of the past three years at PC. Boyce returns after a decorated 2017 season. He received the USILA/Nike Third-Team All-America honors and Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-American accolades. The Friars appreciate his steadiness in net, as Boyce reported an 8.05 goals against average and a 0.569 save percentage. He was ranked sixth in the NCAA against all other Division I goalkeepers. Goltz returns as a graduate student and his veteran status will help lead the younger Friars. He played in 15 games last season and finished with 18 points.
Big East All-star Byrne, will be a positive addition to the team as a new captain. In midfield, he has started in 39 games and scored nine goals and four assists in the 2017 season. As a senior, Kearns will want to make his last season the best for himself and his team. As an attackman he has posted 32 goals and 13 assists in his two years at PC.
The regular season opens up on Saturday, February 3 at Boston University. The Friars will then return home and pick-up their momentum with a three game home stretch, hosting the College of the Holy Cross, Bryant University, and St. Joseph’s University.
The team will travel to the University of Connecticut to Sacred Heart University’s territory on March 3 before yet another three-game homestead against University of Massachusets at Lowell, Harvard University and Hofstra University. At the first Big East matchup is on March 31, the Friars will face-off against St. John’s University.
The Friars will have to wait until April 14 for their highly anticipated rematch against Marquette University. The Friars are expected to come back looking better than ever, and have another historic year for the program.
Lady Friars Split Weekend Against BU
by The Cowl Editor on January 18, 2018
Friar Sports
By Eileen Flynn ’20
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Hockey Team has continued to skate hard and has situated themselves nationally in the number eight ranking. This past week the Lady Friars displayed the determination and grit this year’s team embodies in their showdown against a Hockey East rival Boston University. The two teams were scheduled to play each other Friday and then again on Saturday, making for a very anticipated weekend.
The Terriers from Boston University have accumulated a record of 8-13-4 (4-10-3 HE). On Jan. 12 the teams met for the first time this season under Boston University’s roof. Providence College maintains a 14-6-5 record, 10-2-3 in the Hockey East. The quality of the game deepens with the league rival, both teams knew what a win could do for their standings.
Boston University’s Victoria Bach decided to start the event off on the right foot for her fellow Terrier teammates. Just 28 seconds into the game, Bach received a pass from Breanna Scarpaci and followed with a shot that passed Providence’s goaltender Maddie Myers ’19. The Friars tried to redirect the momentum on their power play, testing the Terrier’s goaltender Shroeder four different times. Despite the pressure, Boston University was the next to score and increased their lead to 2-0 where it remained for the rest of the period. The next two periods were back and forth, both teams spending time in their opponent’s defensive zone. Brooke Boquist ’18 was the lone scorer for the Friars. After three periods of play, Boston University defeated Providence College 5-1.
The Friars are about three-fourths of the way done with their season. A tough loss against Boston University could have had the power to push Providence College in the wrong direction for the rest of the season, but instead, the team took the loss and used it as fuel for their redemption game on Saturday, January 13.
This time, the player to score first after the puck was dropped was Maureen Murphy ’21, a forward for Providence College. Madison Sansone ’18, copied her teammate and quickly increased the lead to 2-0. The score stayed here until Boston University capitalized on a power play in the middle of the second period. Scoring picked up in the third period, both teams increased their scores to a final score of 6-3, with Providence finishing on top. Providence scored twice on the power play, improving their 0/6 power play statistic from the previous day’s game. Myers stood strong in net for the Friars and made 29 saves.
This win over Boston University proved Providence College’s talent. The team is ready to take on the remainder of their season and finish stronger than they started. On Jan. 20 the Friars will face yet another strong Hockey East competitor, the University of New Hampshire. In honor of the outstanding rivalry between the two teams, a fundraiser has been started to coincide with the match-up. Both teams asked their alumni to donate with the hopes that their team will raise more money than the rival. Currently in second place in the Hockey East standings, the Friars will need to capitalize against the Wildcats to maintain their position behind Boston College.