Tag: Friar Sports
PC Swim Has High Expectations
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
By Thomas Zinzarella ’21
Sports Staff
Fresh off their first home meet of the season two weeks ago against the Bryant Bulldogs, the Providence College Men’s and Women’s Swim Team looks to learn from that meet and use it as a building block for the rest of season. Their sights are set on the Big East Championship in February.
Although the Friars fell to Bryant, they were able to show their improvement. It was a much improved result from last year’s meet for the men’s side against this same Bryant squad which may be a theme that will be mirrored throughout the rest of the Friars season. Jerod Magazine ’19 believes that “this may be the best group we have had in my four years…chemistry is great, guys pushing each other in the pool…great leadership, and a really good freshman class.” A few standout freshmen that Magazine mentioned were Justin Viotto ‘22, Matt Keane ‘22, Matt Michaels ‘22, and Ian McElrath ‘22.
A number of these freshmen have already contributed for the Friars early on in their college swimming careers. Viotto took home two first-place finishes in the 400 and 800-meter freestyle with the times of 4:12.58 and 8:41.06. John Freeman ’21 and McElrath churned out 1-2 finishes in the 200-meter freestyle with times of 1:57.62 and 1:59.62, respectively.
The Friars were able to finish the day strong with a first place finish in the 200-meter freestyle relay with a time of 1:39.06. The relay consisted of Mark McLaughlin ’21, Viotto, Freeman, and Patrick Brannigan ’20.
With positive results from both underclassmen and upperclassmen, Magazine hopes that the Friars can continue to shatter records and also take back the Harold Anderson Invitational, a meet that the Friars men’s team won three of the last four years. With veteran talent and leadership from captain Liam Straker ’19 and star breaststroker Ryan Trammell ’19, the Friars will look to do some damage throughout the rest of this season and into Big East.
Women’s swimming and diving is also in a very similar spot as well with senior leadership leading the way for the Friars. Molly Kavanaugh ’21 believes that it all starts with the seniors and trickles down to the underclassmen. “Madeline (Snow ‘19) and other seniors really show us how to act in and out of the pool. There is a great respect between both upperclassmen and underclassmen…. [A respect] between all grades, especially from the seniors down to the freshmen.” Kavanaugh went on to mention how Snow is one of the presidents of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) along with men’s swimmer Magazine.
The Swimming & Diving program was also recognized as being a Scholar All-American team. The women’s team had the highest GPA last semester in program and school history with a 3.60 average.
The team has also seen strong performances in the pool with this last meet, where a 200-meter relay team consisting of Jennie Bankes ’22, Katie Thornton ’21, Margie Keenan ’21, and Lauren Zawacki ’21 broke the 21-year old school record with a blitzing time of 1:50.60.
Bankes, a freshman from Broxton, Massachusetts, has been praised for her performance in the pool so far and is somebody to keep an eye on as this season progresses. Kavanaugh stated “We could see some pretty good things from her this season,” where some records will continue to be shattered. Men’s and Women’s Swim will be at Iona College at 5 p.m. this Friday and Fairfield at 1 p.m. this Saturday!
Women’s Basketball Looks To Turn The Tables
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
After having a 10-21 overall record and a 3-15 last place finish in the Big East last season, the Providence College Women’s Basketball Team looks to turn things around, and ultimately prove themselves as one of the best teams in the Big East. While tough teams are slated to face the Friars, PC has high hopes.
A few days ago, at media day in New York City, the Big East released the Women’s Preseason Coaches’ poll, a poll in which coaches vote on who will be the top team of the season. Coaches, however, are not allowed to vote for their own team. The co-leaders of the poll were none other than DePaul University and Marquette University, who tied for the number one ranking last season.
The Friars were voted in as No. 9 out of 10 teams, due to their increase in strength and bringing back most of their roster.
Not much has significantly changed on the Friar’s roster during the offseason. Only two of the players from last season were seniors and have graduated. However, the team has recruited six new freshmen for this upcoming year. These women range from guards to forwards, and can each bring their own skill set to the team in any moment of the game.
One notable returning player is guard Channell Williams ’21. Last season, Williams averaged 6.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists (a team best) per game. These stats ultimately earned her two-time Big East Freshman of the Week, for the weeks of Jan. 8 and Jan. 22. Her stats and overall game also earned her a unanimous selection to the Big East All-Freshman team.
Jovana “Yo Yo” Nogic ’19, the team’s leading scorer, is another player to watch. Last season, Nogic was not only named Big East Player of the Week in November, but was consistently named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll, and through her first three seasons has scored 1,240 career points ranking her 18th all time at Providence in scoring.
This season, Nogic was named to the 20-player watch list for the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, an award presented each year to the NCAA Division I women’s basketball top shooting guard.
One thing that lead to Nogic being on the watchlist is how she is just 22 three-pointers away from breaking the College’s three-point record set by Julie Wheeler ’98. She is ranked second in the Big East for three-pointers made and fourth in three point field goal percentage throughout the entire Big East Conference
On top of this, it was recently announced that Nogic was named to the 11-member Preseason All-Big East Team for the second year in a row.
The Friars’ season begins on Nov. 3 when the team looks to take on Assumption College at Mullaney Gym, and then Penn State University at University Park in Pennsylvania.
As the Friars look ahead this season, it is key that they move on from the results of last season and focus on the season ahead. The Friars are ready to put their best feet forward and turn their fortunes around.
Rugby Wraps Up 2018 Fall Season
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
As the fall season comes to a close, Providence College’s Men’s Rugby Team concluded their 40th annual season on Oct. 27 with a considerable win over Saint Michael’s College by a score of 47-10. This marked the “Black Pack’s” second win of the season.
Their first win came against Middlebury College in the season opener on Sept. 15. The Black Pack narrowly edged out the Panthers 26-25. PC trailed for the entire game, but punched in a last minute try to cut the Panthers lead to just one. The conversion was then made by Nate Jakaitis ’20 to lift the Black Pack to a 26-25 victory.
The next four matches for the Friars did not go their way, as they dropped all four against some of the top teams in the league. Captain James Lesniak ’19 stated, “We had a tough schedule to start the season which had us playing the top 3 teams in the league, but it was great to finish our season on a high note with a win over St. Michael’s.”
In the Black Pack’s first loss of the season, Bentley University got the upper hand, winning 50-22. The following week, the Friars traveled to Norwich University to face off against the top team in the league. Norwich proved why they finished the year atop the standings as they brought the Friars their second loss with a score of 69-0.
The next two matches brought the Friars two more losses. A 49-24 loss to in-state rival Roger Williams, followed by a trip to University of Massachusetts-Lowell that ended in a 45-29 loss dropped the Black Pack’s record to 1-4.
The final match of the season brought the Saint Michael’s Purple Knights to Providence. The Black Pack’s offense continued to progress as they capped off their fall season with a sizeable victory (47-10) over the Purple Knights to conclude their season with a record of 2-4.
Perhaps PC’s grittiest team, the Black Pack exemplifies hard work, teamwork, and the epitome of toughness each season. Lesniak explained just how the Black Pack’s ferocity stays strong by articulating, “Our core mission is to play with heart, tenacity, and integrity.”
The season was plagued by injuries suffered by the Black Pack’s veteran core. “We were plagued by injuries this season,” said Lesniak, “four of our senior starters suffered season ending injuries. We worked through it by adopting a next man up mentality. A lot of younger guys stepped up to fill the voids.”
With what appears to have not been the season the Black Pack would have liked on paper, Lesniak remains positive by expressing even more excitement and praise for the squad’s young core. “The biggest takeaway from this year has to be our potential. With our new coach and our young talent, we have a lot to be looking forward to in the future.”
The Black Pack looks to come back in for their spring season with a vengeance. As Lesniak looks ahead to his final season in the black and white, he welcomes a positive outlook for the upcoming offseason. He concluded, “Our main focus to improving over the spring is our commitment. If we stay committed during the offseason, whether it be through keeping in shape or watching film, we can hit the ground running in our busy spring season.”
You can watch Lesniak and the Black Pack this spring as they look to capture a league championship.
Undefeated Start For Women’s Ice Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Friar Sports
Team Looks to Carry Success into the Rest of the Season
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Hockey season has arrived in Friartown and the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team is taking the right steps towards a successful season. They started off their season undefeated in their first three games and have provided a glimpse as to just how victorious their upcoming season can be.
Under the supervision of new Head Coach and former USA Hockey head scout, Matt Kelly, the team has been given a new perspective on the game and thus far it has made all the difference.
“Being at that level [Kelly] was given a different perspective…because he was looking at players and what they have and what they might be willing to offer…I think that his coaching ability will really show because he has been able to take that ability and apply it to the game and show how they can work that ability to the best [that they can],” commented assistant captain, Avery Fransoo ’20, on coach Kelly.
Along with a brand new coaching staff, the team welcomed three new freshmen: Ciara Barone ’22, Sara Hjalmarsson ’22, and Caroline Peterson ’22. Fransoo commented that the freshmen are a great addition to the team as they have proven their preparation for games. She added that the freshmen will be a “huge part in creating a winning environment for our team.”
The freshmen have certainly proven themselves as key players, as it was Hjalmarsson who stepped up to capture her first college career hat trick against College of the Holy Cross. Hjalmarsson helped lead the Friars to a 5-0 win. In just three games, Hjalmarsson has tallied an impressive five points overall with four goals and an assist.
“[Sara’s] really good. She’s got lots of speed and great hands,” Fransoo said of her new teammate. “And a wicked hard shot,” she adds. Her comment, of course, refers to the bullet Hjalmarsson sent sailing from just inside the blue line and right over Holy Cross goalie’s shoulder that would give Hjalmarsson not only her first Power Play goal, but also the team’s.
A native of Bankeryd, Sweden, Hjalmarsson’s first games as a Friar have earned her the name of Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week.
Barone is also making a statement on the ice. In her first game as a Friar, Barone had an impressive two-point game, notching both her first career assist and goal.
However, it is not just the freshmen that are standing out early in the season. Goaltender Maddie Myers ’19 has made her mark in the net, starting all five games this season. She has let in four goals so far, all against Bemidji State University.
“She’s been great back in net,” Fransoo stated. “Maddie has been a rock. I think all of the goalies continuously push each other to fight for that [starting] spot.” Myers is joined by two other goalies, Clare Minnerath ’20 and Sandra Abstreiter ’21.
Of course, it helps that Myers has a “solid D-group” and “strong forward group” aiding her both defensively and offensively.
Team veterans Kate Friesen ’19 and Maureen Murphy ’21 are two players who stand out among the forwards and defense. Friesen, who is the team captain, is coming off a season where she finished second best on the team in terms of +/- ratings (18+). A Hockey East All-Star Honorable Mention, Friesen has played in every game this season as well.
The same goes for Murphy. Beginning her second season with the Friars just after coming back from the 2018 U.S. Women’s National Team Evaluation camp, Murphy already has three goals and three assists.
With a makeup of 12 forwards and seven defensemen, the 19-player roster is really working on earning everything they get this season.
“Our perspective is going into each game thinking that you have to earn it. That is one of our major points that we’re following—earning each game and each shift,” Fransoo explains. “Determination, hard work, and everything you’ve prepared for in that moment: that will be the difference in not only our upcoming games but the games the rest of this season and going into playoffs.”
Aside from the “earning it” mentality that the team is focusing on this year, Fransoo nods to the team’s strengths, which she believes will set them up to go deep into the playoffs.
“I think our team has a lot of speed and I think that’s one of our attributes that really set the team apart. I think when we really use it we really dominate teams,” Fransoo acknowledged.
However, Fransoo points out that with their greatest strength comes a weakness that she admits needs to be worked on as a whole team: passing. With the overall high-intensity speed of the game, the team needs to focus on working on “keeping up” their passing with that speed.
“We have been preparing and working hard to get…wins,” says Fransoo on the team. “We have a lot of drive this year.”
The Lady Friars will look to continue their winning-streak this upcoming weekend at Pennsylvania State University in a two game series on Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20.
New Season Begins for Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars Reload After Early End to Season
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
October is finally here, and with that, another season has commenced for Friars hockey. Led by captains Kasper Björkqvist ’20, Jacob Bryson ’20, and alternate captain Vinny Desharnais ’19, the Friars are hoping for yet another successful season culminating with their sixth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
Only the Friars and the Denver Pioneers have appeared in the previous five NCAA tournaments.
The Friars have added a load of offensive weaponry in three talented freshmen forwards. 2018 first round Philadelphia Flyers draft pick, Jay O’Brien ’22, will slide into the first line center role. O’Brien posted 80 points (43 goals, 37 assists) in just 30 games in the 2017-2018 season with Thayer Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts. A quick skater with great playmaking ability, O’Brien will be heavily relied on to provide an offensive spark.
Another skilled freshman addition for the Friars is Rochester, New York product Jack Dugan ’22. Last season, Dugan skated with the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League and finished third in the league by scoring 66 points in 54 games. Dugan, a 6’2” 194 lb. power forward, has an excellent shot and the ability to make defenders miss. He will be crucial on the Power Play for the Friars by generating scoring chances.
Tyce Thompson ’22, another forward with a heavy shot, is looking to have a role on the blueline during the Power Play. Arizona Coyotes 2018 fifth round draft pick, Michael Callahan ’22, is an addition to the Friars sound defensive unit in front of goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19. Along with Desharnais, Callahan provides a lot of size and he will be a solid shut-down defenseman who is not afraid to get into the dirty areas.
The Friars’ junior class, along with captains Bryson and Björkqvist, has a plethora of skill as well. Josh Wilkins ’20 has recorded 62 points through his first two seasons at the College. Wilkins, Björkqvist, and Brandon Duhaime ’20 are all goal-scoring threats, and with the addition of the skilled freshman class, the Friars are going to be able to deposit a substantial amount of goals this season.
Although offense was the story of the offseason, the Friars’ defense has proven to be critical thus far. After the Friars opened up the season with a 3-1 win over American International College (AIC), they traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania to participate in the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament.
Game 1 was against the University of Miami Ohio Red Hawks. This marked the 7th straight season in which these two teams faced off. Hawkey stopped all 22 shots he faced, as the Friars defense shut out the Red Hawks. Further, the Friars killed off seven penalties in this game. The penalty killing unit has been crucial for the Friars’ success.
Defenseman Spenser Young ’20 lead the charge with two goals in the 4-0 victory, along with a handful of blocked shots. Greg Printz ’21 also picked up his second tally of the year and Vimal Sukumaran ’20 redirected a Desharnais shot from the point. With that overwhelming win, the Friars were slated to face the No. 2 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the tournament championship, a long-awaited rematch from the 2017 NCAA tournament that ended the Friars’ National Championship run.
However, Notre Dame took home the trophy as they defeated the Friars 3-0. Penalties riddled PC again in this tilt, as six Friars made a trip to the penalty box. All three penalties were killed off in the first period, but the Irish converted once in the second and again in the third to put the game out of reach.
Hockey East action will start this Friday at Schneider Arena against the University of Connecticut Huskies. As the Friars compete in one of the most dominant conferences in college hockey, their strong freshman class, as well as the solid returning core, is imperative for success. They will face two powerhouses in Boston College and Boston University three times each this season, giving the Friars a problematic schedule from the start. However, Head Coach Nate Leaman and the Friars have their eyes set on their 6th straight NCAA appearance and a trip to Buffalo, New York for the 2019 Frozen Four.
Hogan ’20 Leads Friars During Playoff Push
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
With only two Big East games left in the schedule, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is beginning their playoff push as they sit one game away from the sixth seed, which would allow them to enter the Big East Tournament later in this fall. Part of this playoff push is led by the Friar’s goalie, Shelby Hogan ’20RS.
After falling 1-0 to the No. 1 Georgetown University last Sunday, the Friars focused more on the positives of the game rather than the outcome, and will hopefully use that momentum in their quest for a playoff spot.
In the game, Hogan tallied seven saves and only one goal against her, impressive given that Georgetown has been undefeated all season and is No. 4 on the NCAA Division l Women’s Soccer National rankings.
This season, Hogan has been playing phenomenally, and has much more room to improve as her career and season progress. With a tough schedule this year, no game is a guaranteed win for the Friars. Hogan believes that the Friars cannot overlook any opponent. “Every game is important,” Hogan said, “we have to battle till the end no matter who we are playing.”
Hogan complimented her team and praised them on everything that has gone well this season, including excellent teamwork all-around and the effort each player has put in throughout the season.
This season alone, Hogan is second on the save percentage list of the Big East at 87.2 percent, and has 75 saves total, which is third most in the Big East, averaging five saves per game. On top of this, Hogan has only allowed 11 goals in the whole season, with a 0.71 average of goals against allowed, putting her fourth on the leaderboard in the Big East.
Hogan’s performance has not gone unnoticed this season; she has been named the Big East Goalkeeper of the Week twice, and has given the Friars a chance to win every game they have played, including against teams such as Duke University and the University of North Carolina, who are ranked both 12 and 3 respectfully. She only gave up three goals in those two games.
Not only is Hogan receiving high ranks in goalkeeping, but she has been placed on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll at least five times throughout the season. When asked about the challenge of focusing on game day and keeping up her grades, she stated, “I try to make sure everything is done in advance to make sure on game days I am solely focused on the challenges ahead and making sure I am 100 percent for the team.”
The Friars travel Thursday, October 18 to the 8th seed DePaul University for their last away game of the season. The Friars come back for the Senior Game against the 10th seed Seton Hall University on Sunday afternoon. No matter what stands in the way for the Friars during the rest of the season, Hogan and the Friars will be ready to overcome any obstacles kicked in their way.
PC Men’s Soccer Celebrates 50 Years
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Friar Sports
Team Gets Big Win Over Xavier
By Sullivan Burgess ’20
Sports Staff
This weekend at Providence College, the students and athletes had more to celebrate besides the opening of the new Ruane Friar Development Center. The College, along with many alumni and students were able to cheer on the PC Men’s Soccer Team as they secured a back to back victory against Xavier University, during the school’s 50th anniversary of the men’s soccer program.
At the match, players from the last 50 years of the program came to Providence, during St. Dominic’s weekend, to reunite and watch the match unfold. They were able to celebrate all the success the team has endured in the past, as well as look forward to the bright future that is in store for the program and athletes.
During halftime, a video was played on the scoreboard that commemorated the history of the team. Some of the biggest moments were displayed on the screen such as making the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament in 2016 and the trip to the Final Four in 2014.
Former head coach Bill Doyle who was the first coach in the program’s history, sat down with current coach Craig Stewart to talk about building up the program and bringing the Friars into a perennial Big East contender.
A clip of former head coach Chaka Daley was played at the end. Daley talked about his time at PC. Daley considered the 2005 season to be one of the best seasons he was a part of. After going winless in 2004, the Friars turned things around in 2005, going 7-4-9.
The Friars shutout Xavier 2-0, making their record 5-4-1 (2-1 in the Big East). This win put the Friars in 3rd place in the Big East Conference. The two goals came from Joao Serrano ’20 from a free kick, and Danny Griffin ’20, with a counterattack goal in transition. Both occurred in the second half of the game. On the defensive side, goalie Colin Miller ’19 made two saves in the game and recorded his 3rd shutout of the season as well as the 16th shutout of his career. PC was able to defeat its second top-25 opponent this season.
The Friars were then ready to take on their next opponent, the University of Connecticut Huskies, on Tuesday night. Tiago Mendonca ’20 is currently leading the Friars with 4 goals and has started all 10 games this season. He is also tied for 8th most goals in the Big East. Miller is also leading the goalies of the Friars with 30 saves and 14 goals allowed, putting him 8th on the list for most saves in the Big East.
Sadly, the world is not all sunshine and rainbows; Mother Nature herself decided to make a visit to the Soccer New England night in Providence. While the Friars led the rainy match against UConn 1-0 by forward Andualem Chisolm ’22, lightning struck around the 60th minute of the second half, causing both the delay and the eventual call of the game with 30 minutes and 6 seconds remaining.
Per NCAA rules in soccer, since it did not reach the 70th minute, the game could not count. The match was ultimately put on record as a canceled. Word will come soon from the team on whether there will be a re-match. The Friars managed to play through a tough match, and can hopefully keep the momentum going in the coming days.
The road ahead after Uconn looks tough. This Saturday, Oct. 6, the Friars will take on Marquette University for the Friar Cup, and will continue the rest of their Big East play throughout the season.
Wheeler Wins Battle in Beantown
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Athlete of the Week
By Liza Sisk ’19
Sports Staff
Abbey Wheeler ’20 is sprinting into a successful third year, leading the Providence College Track and Cross Country teams to glory. Wheeler, a native of Elmira, New York, was recruited by the Friars her senior year of high school and has been an asset to the team ever since.
Wheeler proved that she will reach new heights this season as she earned first place in the 5K at the Cross Country Coast-to-Coast Battle in Beantown hosted by Boston College on Sept. 21. This was the first time Wheeler won an event at an invitational at the collegiate level. Wheeler said, “[the win] gave me a lot of confidence and I think it was a great learning experience.” She credits the culture of Friar cross country, her teammates, and the coaching staff for her success in the race.
“I am fortunate enough to be at a place, in a program, and surrounded by the right coaching staff and teammates that can help me make improvements from season to season. It always feels good to be moving forward,” said Wheeler.
Last season, Wheeler came in sixth place in this race while battling an iron deficiency. Her health has since been restored as she took the top spot this year, finishing the 5K in 17 minutes and 10 seconds.
Although her season is off to a successful start, Wheeler reflects on the difficulty that comes with losing powerful runners and leadership to graduation each year. When asked about her goals for the team this year she explained, “The girls before us have created high expectations and standards for the program and we hope to continue in that tradition.”
On Sept. 28, the Friars competed in the Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin. The women’s team placed 20th overall, with Wheeler leading the pack for the Friars. She placed 37th overall in the 6k, improving significantly from her 67th place finish in the race last season.
The Friars will take a short break in competition, returning with a Mini Meet at Central Connecticut State University on Oct. 19. This is their last meet until the Big East championships and NCAA tournament season begins.
Wheeler believes the secret to Friar cross country success is consistency. “The success and history behind the cross country and track programs here was why I committed to PC to begin with,” said Wheeler. Led by Wheeler, Friar cross country will undoubtedly continue the historical success of the program.
Women’s Soccer Begins Big East Play
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Friar Sports
By Cam Smith ’21
Sports Staff
Simply put, the Providence College Women’s Soccer Team is a force to be reckoned with. The Friars’ record of 7-4-1 gives them a position in the top five in the Big East standings, just behind Georgetown University, Butler University, Villanova University, and DePaul University.
The Friars’ success is due in large part to their steady defense and tremendous goalkeeper play. The defense has been anchored by Katie Day ‘19 and Hailee Duserick ‘19, who along with Alessandra Arace ‘20 and Olivia Lucia ’20 have helped PC allow only 10 goals on the entire season thus far, the second-best mark in the conference. Five shutouts from goalkeeper Shelby Hogan ’21 have also helped the Friars keep the scoresheet clean on the opposing side. Hannah McNulty ’21 leads the Friars so far this season in goals scored with eight and is second in the entire conference (just behind Georgetown’s Caitlin Farrell with nine). She will be looking to keep up her prolific scoring as the season enters its second half.
The Friars opened up the season with nine out-of-conference games, in which they went 6-2-1. That stretch saw the team pull off key wins against vaunted institutions such as Harvard University, Brown University, and Drexel University. The Friars’ only two losses came from the third and 17th ranked teams in the entire country, the University of North Carolina and Duke University, respectively. Against Duke, forward Casey Estey ’19 pinned a shot top right corner with 75.2 minutes on the board, pulling the Friars within one goal and effectively silencing the raucous Blue Devil fans. PC would end up falling 2-1, but the Friars proved that they belong alongside the nation’s best.
After finishing off their non-conference schedule with a tie against a talented University of Arkansas team, PC began their Big East portion of the schedule with a 2-0 win over rival Villanova on Sept. 22. The end of the first half saw both teams tied at zero, but that was not for a lack of chances on both sides. PC’s McNulty pushed a shot just wide of the net in the 6th minute from the penalty spot, while Villanova’s Kristen Vinciguerra’s 43rd minute bid to put the Wildcats on top was met with a great save from Hogan. The Friars came out of the half with their foot on the gas pedal, as McNulty fired a laser past the Wildcat keeper to put PC up 1-0 in the 50th minute. Eight minutes later, the scoring onslaught continued as midfielder Kayla Steeves ’19 curled a masterful shot into the net off of a corner kick to seal the game for the Friars.
A home game on Sept. 27 saw PC fall in a heartbreaking fashion to Xavier University 2-3 in double overtime. McNulty and Arace both scored for the Friars in regular time, but a goal from Xavier’s Sydney Schembri snuck past Hogan to drop the Friars to 1-1 in Big East play.
PC took on Butler Sept. 30 and will return to action on Oct. 4 to play St. John’s University, where they will look to build upon a fantastic first half of the season.
Skating Her Way to Success
by The Cowl Editor on September 20, 2018
Friar Sports
Maureen Murphy ’21 Invited to National Team Evaluation Camp
By Meaghan Cahill ’20
Sports Co-Editor
Providence College’s standout women’s hockey player, Maureen Murphy ’21, was one of the select few hockey players throughout the country to be invited to participate in the 2018 U.S. Women’s National Team Evaluation Camp.
“It was a lot of fun, but I think I was most excited to go and learn from everyone that was there,” Murphy commented on her most recent trip to Biddeford, Maine, where the elite camp was held.
The camp, which took place from Sept. 13-17, was set up to evaluate the top-tier talent in the current Women’s National Team player pool. The camp splits players into two teams and the teams participate in three intrasquad scrimmages along with going to practices.
“They were evaluating on three different standards,” Murphy explained. “There is a tournament in a month and a half in Saskatchewan, Canada and they will pick a roster from people at this camp. They were also evaluating for post-grads and the third was just your overall standing in the national player pool. They have all of these players…and they are ranking and restarting for this quad. It resets every four years for the Olympics.”
Murphy, who is still an eligible U-22 player, was one of the 37 players from around the country to be invited to attend the camp. Of the 37 players invited, 17 of them were members of the Olympic team that just won gold in PyeongChang, South Korea.
“I was most excited to go and learn from everyone that was there just because that was my first experience with the national team and obviously I was pretty nervous,” Murphy commented on playing with these elite players.
“I think everyone there understood…where we were coming from so [the players] were super helpful. It was also really intense because I’m not going to outwork or out-skill these Olympian players any time soon. You just had to really work hard and grind it out.”
Murphy said her favorite part of the camp was “getting to play with people that I had always looked up to as a kid…it was super cool for me.”
Murphy commented “maybe” with a laugh when asked about being picked to play with the team heading to Saskatchewan in the upcoming months, after having played with the USA U-22 Women’s Select Team in a three-game series against Canada in early August.
Her August trip to Canada was not the first time USA Hockey has called upon her to represent them. Prior to starting at PC, Murphy was invited to play for Team USA at the 2017 Under-18 World Championships in the Czech Republic. The team went on to bring home the gold medal.
Murphy, who is heading into her second season with the Lady Friars starting on Sept. 28 against Concordia University, finished her inaugural season with a team-leading 28 points, which consisted of 19 goals (the most on the team) and nine assists. Of her 19 goals, five were game-winners and four were short-handed; she tied first nationally in short-handed goals. Appearing in 36 games last season, Murphy also put up seven multi-point games.
Her success last season landed her the title of Hockey East Rookie of the Week three times, Hockey East Top Performer six times, and Hockey East Rookie of the Month in December. Murphy was also named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and was a Second Team All-Star. She was deemed a New England Hockey Writers All-Star and was awarded PC’s hockey team Seventh Player Award.
On her success last season, Murphy humbly commented, “Players can’t have success without the team. It’s a collective unit kind of thing.”
Looking at the upcoming season, Murphy believes the team will find success in the “amount of work that we put in as a team over the summer” and the “really good people” that were brought onto the team.
“I think we’re all really excited as a team,” Murphy added about newly assigned Head Coach Matt Kelly. Kelly was also asked to attend the Evaluation Camp as both a coach and an evaluator. While Murphy did not see him at the camp, she thinks his National Team experience, which she describes as the “highest level of women’s hockey” will be “helpful for the team on a variety of different levels.”
“We have pretty intense practices now,” Murphy comments on how the team is getting ready for their upcoming season. “I think just like bringing a whole new level of speed and [the] mentality that we’re gonna move forward and have a great year.”
And in terms of last year, which ended in a Hockey East first round knock-out by the number six ranked University of Connecticut, all Murphy had to say was, “We’re not looking back.”