Weekly Winners: Friars Dominate February

by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020

Friar Sports

Four Friars Nab Weekly Big East Awards

by Cam Smith ’21

Sports Assistant Editor

The second week of February was a great one for Providence College athletics, as four Friars took home weekly awards for their outstanding play. Besides putting up great stats, Alpha Diallo ’20, Alyssa Geary ’22, Lauren DeBlois ’23, and Toby Burgdorf ’21 all played key roles in leading their respective teams to pivotal victories.

The Big East Player of the Week went to Diallo, who became the first PC Men’s Basketball Team player to receive the award since Rodney Bullock ’17 in 2016. The senior forward averaged 27 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while leading the Friars to a 1-1 record for the week.

photo courtesy of Nick Crenshaw ’20/The Cowl

Certainly contributing to his achievement is the fact that Diallo set single-game career highs in both points and rebounds during the week. On Feb. 13, Diallo grabbed an impressive 17 rebounds to go along with 19 points in a loss to St. John’s University. He followed that performance up by pouring in 35 points on 5-5 shooting from the three-point line in a statement win against tenth-ranked Seton Hall University.

Diallo’s outburst from downtown came as a bit of a surprise due to the fact that he attempted zero three-pointers in the previous game against St. John’s University. Even so, there was little hesitation in pulling the trigger against the Pirates. “I just tried to do whatever it took to help us get the win,” said Diallo after the game. “My teammates were finding me in open spots. I make those shots a lot in practice, so they knew to have confidence in me.”

Further sweetening Diallo’s triumphant week is the fact that his scoring outburst against Seton Hall pushed him past 1,500 career points. Diallo now sits as one of just 17 Friars in school history to pass the scoring milestone.

Meanwhile, on the women’s basketball team, Geary was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll. In a week that very much mirrored Diallo’s, Geary helped lead her team to a 1-1 record while posting a team high in points against Seton Hall.

“It felt pretty good to receive the weekly award,” said Geary when asked about the honor. “I did not expect it at all and was shocked that I was even considered, let alone picked as a recipient.”

Geary credited her teammates for allowing her to play at such a high level in recent weeks. “I owe it all to them. They have the confidence to constantly feed me the ball in the post or kick it out to me believing that I can knock that shot down.”

Geary played a crucial role in the Friars’ defeat of St. John’s on Feb. 16, posting 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one block to go along with a game-saving three pointer to tie the game with 1:36 left in regulation. “I knew I was feeling the three,” Geary said of the shot following the game. “I knew I was going to knock that down and my teammates gave me the confidence to do it.”

Geary would later add, “The three was a great play because of the way my teammates hustled down the floor and found me. Mary [Baskerville ’22] could have easily tried and scored as soon as she got the ball, but she gave me that extra pass we practice with one another and I was able to knock it down.”

photo courtesy of Isabella Baffoni ’23/The Cowl

Geary and the Friars would go on to seal the victory on a miraculous Earlette Scott ’22 and-one from the top of the key with four seconds remaining.

Representing the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team, DeBlois continued PC’s success by being named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week. She and the rest of the squad took down third-ranked Northeastern University on Feb. 14 in a game that featured two goals from DeBlois.

Her first goal came off a Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 faceoff win that was flicked back to Whitney Dove ’20. Dove slid it over to DeBlois, who placed a perfect wrister through traffic into the back of the net at 16:04 in the second period.

DeBlois’ second goal just so happened to be a game-winner, as she sent the Huskies packing with a wrister from the point with 1:03 remaining in overtime. The goal would secure a 2-1 Friar victory and the second game-winner in Deblois’ young career.

Finally, Burgdorf wrapped up a phenomenal week for Friar athletics by being named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week for men’s lacrosse. Burgdorf picked up a career-high in saves versus Bryant University in the Ocean State Cup, stifling 15 shots on a .625 save percentage. In the fourth quarter alone, he turned back seven shots compared to a measly two by the opposing goalie.

It was the second time this year that Burgdorf has been named Defensive Player of the Week, with both honors due in large part to the goalie’s impressive 3-0 record in his first three career starts for PC.

Diallo, Geary, and DeBlois look to continue their success as their respective teams make late-season pushes for the postseason. Burgdorf, on the other hand, looks to maintain his status as a defensive stalwart as the men’s lacrosse team continues to start the season strong. Regardless of the status of their season, all four athletes have shined so far this year for the Friars, and their long list of accolades is a testament to their hard work.

Women’s Club Hockey on the Right Track

by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020

Friar Sports

Newly Founded Team Boasts Bright Future

by Eileen Flynn ’20

Sports Staff

Playing sports is sometimes taken for granted when growing up. We may resent the early morning hockey game, or the two-hour drive to an away basketball game. Yet, of course, it was always worth it in the end, even if the results of the game were not the best. Indeed, the actual game was only half of it: the memories, friendships, and lessons learned while playing lasted far beyond the final whistle.

For many, college marks the end of competitive sports. Flashback to the fall of 2016, however, there were about eight underclassmen at Providence College who were not ready to hang up their skates just yet. Instead, they recognized an opportunity to start the Providence College Women’s Club Ice Hockey Team. Jasmine Gaudreau ’20 and now graduated Avalon O’Shaughnessy ’19, along with fellow classmates, started doing research and setting up meetings with associate director of club sports, Chris Schmidtt.

The college offers over 20 club sports to their student body, ranging from competitive teams like basketball and lacrosse to open roster teams like figure skating and scuba diving. Schmidtt is always open to new additions; however, he makes it clear that the students are in charge of running each club. Since there has been a successful men’s club ice hockey team at PC for many years, Gaudreau and O’Shaughnessy were determined to reach their goal of having a women’s club ice hockey team added to the list.

“I knew that if a club team did get started, it would attract incoming or prospective freshmen. Similar to the women now on the team, they would also feel like they belong in a new environment. PC had the resources to have a women’s club ice hockey, the program just needed someone to start it,” said Gaudreau. Luckily, she was ready to be that person.

Club hockey poses for team photo — Photo Courtesy of Jasmine Gaudreau ’20

The process is not meant to be easy; an important aspect Schmidtt looks for when approving a team is the level of commitment shown by the players. For three years, around 15 girls would wake up to their 6 a.m. alarm clocks, pick up their bag in the basement of their dorm, and travel across the snowy campus to Schnieder Arena for their 7 a.m. practice.

For two years there was not a coach budgeted for the group, but that did not stop them coming together and practicing. Taking attendance each morning, Schmidtt was impressed that after three years of an unofficial team, there were upwards of 20 girls still showing up in hopes to someday be a legitimate team.

Fast forward to fall 2020, Gaudreau’s senior year, PC held their first women’s club hockey tryouts. More than 25 girls in all different class years arrived with excitement, realizing they did not have to say goodbye to the sport they love just yet. The girls are coached by Frank Caparco and Tony DiLorenzo, two local retired high-school coaches looking to continue their career with the sport.

This past season, the Friars played Big East rivals like Boston University, University of New Hampshire, Boston College, and Northeastern University. This past weekend, the girls traveled to face the no. 1 ranked University of Vermont on Super Bowl Sunday nonetheless. Although testing the Catamount’s goalie early and often, UVM scored the first goal and held on to the momentum. With two freshman goalies to play, the Friars were able to play both, giving them the experience they need for the upcoming years.

Perhaps the most promising part of this season is the amount of underclassmen on the team, with nine freshmen and eight sophomores. With two games left, the record for the team’s first year stands at 6-8. Learning from the five seniors, the underclassmen do not take this opportunity for granted. Thanks to Gaudreau and the other seniors, there will be a women’s club hockey team for years to come.

Abstreiter ’21RS Earns Hockey East Honors

by Meaghan P Cahill on January 30, 2020

Friar Sports

Goalie Sets Career-High in Saves

By Eileen Flynn ’20

Sports Staff

Sandra Abstreiter providence college women's ice hockey — Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

Born and raised in Freising, Germany, Sandra Abstreiter ’21RS is starting to get comfortable in her new home between the pipes for the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team. As a redshirt sophomore, Abstreiter was recently recognized as the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. You might be curious as to what it takes to reach this milestone, and in this case, it was not an easy feat. Abstreiter spent a weekend getting peppered in net against a top Hockey East team, the University of New Hampshire. She made a total of 64 saves and allowed just two goals during 120 minutes of play, helping her team sweep the series.

Abstreiter reflected on her accomplishment, “Obviously, it is a great honor to get this recognition and all the congratulations from friends.” She was quick to refocus on what is really important: the next game. “The more important part to me is to win games. I would say it is an indirect goal of mine to get selected for this because it means I was doing my best to help my team win which is always the main goal as a goalie.”

The two teams joined each other on the ice in Durham, NH on Friday, Jan. 17. PC was hungry to avenge the 2-6 loss UNH handed them earlier in the season in their first Hockey East match up.

Ciara Barone, ’22, tallied her second goal of the season for the Friars and netted the first goal of the night. Assists came from Annelise Rice ’21 and Kathleen McHugh ’20. UNH snuck in a goal just before the end of the first period, sending both teams into their locker rooms with one goal under their belt. A power play opportunity in the second period helped the Friars gain the momentum they were looking for all game. Lauren DeBlois ’23 hit line mate Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 in stride as she skated up the ice, finishing with a wrist shot that leapt up over the UNH’s goaltender. Hayley Lunny’s ’21 empty net goal sealed the victory for the Friars, as Abstrieter stood strong in the Friars’ defensive zone snd skated away with a career-high 32 saves.

“The whole team was very excited to show how much we have improved together and to show UNH what we are capable of doing. It was a great chance to get revenge for the last game but also to jump them in the Hockey East standings because they were one point ahead of us before the weekend.” With this win, PC moves up to fifth place in the Hockey East standings.

It is tough to face the same team back-to-back, especially after such a close game. The Lady Friars, however, were ready to prove their toughness and stepped back onto the ice on Jan. 18 with the same attitude as the day before.

The first period remained scoreless, despite the Wildcats’ two-minute power play advantage. Providence trailed in shots 14-7 but Abstreiter kept the score even. Hjalmarsson scored her 13th goal of the season in the second period which put the Friars ahead. The tying goal came in the first couple of minutes in the third period, after the Wildcats continued to outshoot Providence. Caroline Peterson ’22 decided this game was not going to end in a draw, and with just two minutes remaining she helped the puck find the back of the net with a redirection. Abstreiter stopped another 32 shots and improved her record to 5-4-0 after an outstanding weekend performance.

“I think our team keeps improving and keeps getting better every day and every game. It is always challenging to get back into it after break but I think we set ourselves accomplishable goals for every game.”

Abstreiter is excited about playoffs, but her only focus right now is the next team up on the schedule. “I think, as I said, we cannot take anyone for granted and if we keep playing our game and stick together we don’t have to be scared of anyone.”

Sports Shorts Over Winter Break

by Meaghan P Cahill on January 16, 2020

Friar Sports

By Meaghan Cahill ’20

Sports Co-Editor

Women’s Ice Hockey:

This past weekend, the Providence College Women’s Ice Hockey Team split a home-and-home series against the eighth ranked Boston University Terriers. Captain Avery Fransoo ’20 kicked off the scoring for the Friars with a wrist shot in the final five minutes of the first period for her second goal of the season. Similar to the first goal, the second goal the Friars snagged came in the final few minutes of the second period when Hayley Lunny ’21 notched her seventh goal of the season. Annelise Rice ’21 had assists on both of the goals; this was her first multi-point game of the season. Despite the Terriers scoring a late third period goal, the Friars finished the game with a 2-1 win. Goaltender Sandra Abstreiter ’21 made 29 saves overall.

The following day, the Friars travelled to Boston where Abstreiter was once again in net for the Friars. A goal apiece was delivered to each team early into the first period with BU striking first and Sara Hjalmarsson ’21 finding the back of the net minutes later; she would be the only goal scorer for the Friars this game. The goal was Hjalmarsson’s 20th point of the season and she is now tied with Whitney Dove ’20 for most points this season. Abstreiter had 19 saves throughout the game but as the Friars still fell to the Terriers 4-1.

Women’s Basketball:

The Providence College Women’s Basketball Team suffered two Big East losses over the course of last week. The Friars fell to Marquette University 60-50 on Jan. 5 in a close game until the fourth quarter when the Golden Eagles were able to maintain their first double digit lead in the final eight minutes of play. Despite the loss, Mary Baskerville ’22 had a standout game, notching a career-high 24 points and eight rebounds. It was her second straight 20-point performance and fourth of her career.

The following Saturday, January 11 was another close game for the Friars that came down to the final minutes of play. Despite Earlette Scott ’22 and Kaela Webb ’22 both scoring 14 points apiece, Creighton University rallied in a decisive fourth quarter to edge the Friars out 72-63. The Friars are now 0-5 in Big East Play and 9-8 on the season. They will look to get their first Big East win against St. John’s University this coming Friday in New York.

Men’s Soccer:

Over the winter break, two players from the Providence College Men’s Soccer Team were drafted in the 2020 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Jan. 9. Goaltender Austin Aviza ’20RS was selected by Orlando City 44th overall in the second round and midfielder Danny Griffin ’20 was selected 49th overall in the second round by the Columbus Crew Soccer Club.

Sports Shorts Week of No. 22-Dec. 5

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019

Friar Sports

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Women’s Basketball:

The women’s basketball team is off to an excellent start to the 2019-2020 season. The team began the season with four consecutive wins and took the momentum into their Nov. 24 contest against the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. PC beat the visiting Riverhawks handily by a score of 63-38, with four Friars scoring in double digits. Leading the way for PC was Chanell Williams ’21 who scored 12 points while tallying four rebounds and four assists. PC took its 5-0 record into a matchup with Yale University, which was a continuation of a suspended game from Nov. 5.

On Dec. 3, PC traveled to Yale to resume the game with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Despite a 19-point performance by Mary Baskerville ’22 and 16 points by Kyra Spiwak ’21, PC fell short 79-82. The loss marks PC’s first of the season as its record drops to 5-1. The team will play at Bryant University on Dec. 7.

Men’s Ice Hockey:

The men’s ice hockey team entered the 34th edition of the Mayor’s Cup with a record of 8-3-4. PC took the ice on Nov. 30 against the Bears of Brown University looking to take home the trophy, and did just that. PC beat Brown University by a score of 4-2 to win the Mayor’s Cup and improve to 9-4-3 on the season. Despite Brown scoring the first goal of the game in the early minutes, Patrick Moynihan ’23 leveled the game at one towards the end of the first period. PC would take control from there, as Patrick Ford ’23, Tyce Thompson ’22, and Shane Kavanagh ’20 each scored goals to make the score 4-1. The Brown Bears would add a late goal, but it was not enough. Goaltender Michael Lackey ’20GS recorded 23 saves in the game and Jack Dugan ’22 tallied two assists to stay atop the NCAA points leaderboard with 31 total points. PC is now set to face UMass-Lowell on Dec. 6.

Women’s Ice Hockey:

The women’s ice hockey team also hosted Brown University in the Mayor’s Cup on Nov. 30. This meeting marked the 25th edition of the Mayor’s Cup, with PC having won the previous four meetings between the teams. PC entered the game with a record of 8-6-2 and was ready to continue its winning streak against the Bears. Lauren DeBlois ’23 started the scoring off early for PC with a goal six minutes into the game. Isabelle Hardy ’23 followed shortly after with her first career goal to increase the lead to 2-0. Sara Hjalmarsson ’22 then increased the lead to 3-0 with a goal of her own on a power play. Hjalmarsson would go on to score two more goals in the game and tally three assists for a total of six points. Her single-game point total from this game marked the highest in Mayor’s Cup history. PC would go on to win by a score of 10-0. The team now looks ahead to its next contest against the University of Connecticut on Dec. 5.

Sports Shorts Week of No. 22-Dec. 5

by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019

Friar Sports

By Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Women’s Basketball:

Men’s Ice Hockey:

Women’s Ice Hockey:

Sports Shorts Week of Nov. 8-Nov. 21

by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019

Friar Sports

By Joseph Quirk ’23

Sports Staff

Men’s Basketball:

The Providence College Men’s Basketball Team had an up-and-down week. On Wednesday, November 13, the Friars fell to the Northwestern University Wildcats 63-72. PC struggled in all aspects of the game in the loss, but were particularly bad on offense where, at times, it appeared they could not even buy a bucket. The Friar’s leading scorer was Alpha Diallo ’20, who recorded his third double-double (15 points, 14 rebounds), but he only shot 6-21 from the field. PC turned things around, however, as they followed that loss with a win at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center on Saturday, November 16, where they beat Saint Peter’s University 68-47. This was a return to form for PC. The leading scorer for the Friars was David Duke ’22, who dropped 17 points in addition to six assists and two steals. The Friars went on to defeat Merrimack College 93-56 on Tuesday, November 19. Next, PC will host the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, November 23.

Men’s Soccer:

On Wednesday, November 13, the men’s soccer team beat top-20 nationally ranked St. John’s University Red Storm 2-1 to advance to the Big East Finals. There, they would meet the third-ranked Georgetown University on Sunday, November 17. Unfortunately, their run ended there, as the Friars fell 1-3. The team played well enough to get themselves a bid into the NCAA playoff though, extending what has been a very dominant season here in Friartown. The Friars will host their first-round tournament on Thursday, November 21, and they will be playing the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Considering how hot this men’s team has been not only through the Big East tournament, but also the back end of the season, it is not unreasonable to expect the Friars to go deep into the tournament. Their season statistics and style of play further affirm this.

Women’s Ice Hockey:

The women’s ice hockey team also had an up-and-down week. On Friday, November 15, PC went on the road to take on the University of Maine. This was a Hockey East game, the first of two, that the Friars played this past weekend. That was a game the Friars unfortunately lost 4-5 in crushing fashion in overtime. The game was relatively close, until Maine scored in the final minute of regulation to tie it up. Maine would continue to score in OT, stealing the game away from the Friars. PC got redemption on Sunday, November 17, when they hosted the University of Vermont. The Friars played a good game as they scored twice in the third period, once to tie the game and once in the final minute to win it. The game winner was scored with 16 seconds left by Sara Hjalmarsson ’22. The ladies are back on the ice November 22-23, when they take turns hosting games with Merrimack College.

PC Athletes Earn Conference Honors

by The Cowl Editor on November 7, 2019

Friar Sports

Four Friars Recognized for their Standout Performances

by Scott Jarosz ’21

Sports Staff

Athletes from multiple Providence College athletic teams received awards this past week for their athletic performances. The athletes that received awards were Jack Dugan ’22 of men’s hockey, Paulo Lima ‘22 of men’s soccer, Lydia Rice ’20GS of field hockey, and Clare Minnerath ’20 of women’s hockey.

Photo Courtesy of PC Athletics

Dugan started off the 2019-2020 season on the right foot to say the least. On Friday, November 1, Dugan was named the Hockey East Player of the Month for October by the Hockey East Association. Dugan currently leads NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey in points with 18 total on five goals and 13 assists. The player of the month honor is not the only award Dugan has won this season, as he was previously named Hockey East Player of the Week after totaling five points in just two games against the University of Massachusetts- Lowell and Boston College. Dugan’s consistently impressive numbers throughout the early stages of the 2019-2020 season show that he is deserving of the Hockey East Player of the Month award.

PC Athletics

Another athlete who has put out a series of impressive performances as of late is Paulo Lima of the men’s soccer team. On Oct. 28, Lima was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll for the first time in his career. Lima had an outstanding week to earn the honors, as he totaled five points in just two games for PC that week. In the team’s first game of the week against Villanova University, Lima played a part in each of PC’s goals in a 2-0 victory over VU. Lima assisted the first goal and scored the second to secure the win for the Friars. Lima’s impressive week did not stop there, as he scored the golden goal game winner in overtime against Creighton University in the following game. Lima’s five-point week led him to receive the Weekly Honor Roll recognition from the Big East.

PC Athletics

Another athlete who received an accolade this past week is Rice, a graduate student goalkeeper for the field hockey team. On Oct. 28, Rice was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Week. This marks the first time this season that Rice received the award and the third time in her career. The performances that led to Rice being named defensive player of the week were a five-save shutout against Georgetown University and a three-save shutout against Rider University. These back-to-back shutouts against Georgetown and Rider solidified Rice as the Big East Defensive Player of the Week.

PC Athletics

The final Providence College athlete that earned an award this past week was Claire Minnerath, goaltender for the women’s hockey team. Minnerath was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 28. In an upset 1-0 victory over Northeastern University, Minnerath recorded 33 saves, a career-high. Minnerath then recorded 20 saves on Oct. 26 in a game against the University of New Hampshire. Her impressive performances against both secured her the defensive player of the week honor.

Women’s Hockey Takes On Nittany Lions

by The Cowl Editor on October 24, 2019

Friar Sports

Friars Struggle in First Game, Manage a Tie in Second

By Sullivan Burgess ’20

Sports Staff

providence college women's ice hockey team Maureen Murphy Avery fransoo Hayley lunny — Nicholas Crenshaw ’20/the Cowl

Last weekend, the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team faced Pennsylvania State University in a non-conference, weekend series. Coming into the matchup, the Friars sat at a 2-1-1 record, while Penn State boasted a record of 2-2-2.

This is the second time in the last year the Friars have faced Penn State, with last years games being played on the Nittany Lions’ home ice. The teams split last year’s series to the tune of a 3-2 Friar victory in overtime, and a 3-5 loss the next day.

Before the game, the team focused on competing with full effort for all three periods. Avery Fransoo ’20 emphasized how the team was looking to take numerous shots. Fransoo stated, “More shots lead to more chances, and we need to do our best to take advantages of any given situation.”

The first game had a rough start as the first goal from Penn State was scored in the first period off of a five-on-three power play. Penn State shut out the Friars up until the third period, when Maureen Murphy ’21 scored her third goal of the year, pushing the score to 3-1. Then, a second goal was scored by Sara Hjalmarsson ’22, for her third goal of the year, assisted by Murphy and Hayley Lunny ’21, putting the game to 3-2.

In the end, the game went to Penn State with a 2-4 loss for the Friars. The Friars outshot Penn State 33-26. They took what they learned in this game into the next day.

The second game against Penn State had the Friars dominating throughout, constantly taking shots. At the end of the first period, Penn State was on top with a 2-1 lead, with the sole Friars goal coming from Chloe Gonsalves ’21. The game ended in a 2-2 tie, including the game-tying goal by Murphy for her fourth goal of the season.

Friars goalie Clare Minnerath ’20 finished the game with 15 saves, and the team once again led in shots 31-17.

The next matchup for the Friars puts them up against Hockey East rival Northeastern University for their first conference matchup of the season. Looking ahead, Fransoo stated, “We want to take each game one at a time and focus on every shift in the period, as for Northeastern we want to focus on bringing an effort into the practices and transfer all that high and aggressive energy into the game and secure a win.”

When asked about any advice she has given to the incoming freshman class, Fransoo talked about the importance of the players having an open-mind. So, too, did she speak to how it has been a great yet huge adjustment for them, as they get used to new coaches and a new collegiate system of play.

Women’s Hockey Ready for Next Step

by The Cowl Editor on October 3, 2019

Friar Sports

Team Looks to Build off of Last Year’s Success

by Eileen Flynn ’20

As fall begins and schoolwork starts to pick up, everyone is excited for the upcoming hockey season. Recently, the Hockey East Preseason Poll predicted that the Providence College Women’s Hockey Team will finish fourth in the Hockey East standings. They were placed behind rivals Northeastern University, Boston University, and Boston College.

This year the Hockey East will be as competitive as always. Teams like University of New Hampshire, University of Connecticut, and Merrimack College will be looking to move up ahead of the Friars every chance they get.

Maureen Murphy ’21 is looking forward to the season ahead of her and her teammates. “I think our team needs to prepare for each game with the mentality that anyone can compete with anyone in our league. Each team has substantial talent, but hard work often means more than inherent skill and is something within our control.”

Two important aspects she wants her team to focus on this year are “positivity and persistence.”

There is a confidence coming from Murphy that is sure to help inspire her team throughout the season.

PC completed last year with a 24-11-2 record, and a 16-9-2 standing in the Hockey East. The team tied their record of 24 wins in a season; this year there is hope to add a new record for the books.

The Friars are welcoming a lot of new talent on their roster for the upcoming season. There are seven freshmen on the squad, creating a younger dynamic than the girls are used to from previous years. “While there is definitely a learning curve with such a young team, everyone is excited about the potential impact we could have in Hockey East,” says Murphy.

Murphy is coming off of an impressive previous season with the Lady Friars, and her leadership is going to be an important addition for the team. Last year Murphy played in all 37 games; she scored 22 goals and added 21 assists for a total of 43 points. These statistics listed her first on the team in points, goals, assists, shots, and plus-minus. Some would even call Murphy a “clutch-player,” scoring eight game-winning goals in just one season, the second-best in the nation.

She was named Hockey East Player of the Month and National Player of the Month in November of 2018 and was selected as Hockey East Top Performer four different times. The Friars named her the Offensive Player of the Year, but even after all of these accomplishments, Murphy places the spotlight on her teammates.

“While being named offensive player of the year is a great honor, the success I had as an individual is also the success of my teammates.”

Murphy added, “There are so many factors that go into a season beyond how many goals you score or how many assists you make. Multiple individuals impact every play and often don’t get the recognition they deserve, my teammates included. So I certainly can’t take all the credit!”

On Sept. 28, the Friars gave their fans a preview of what is to come. In an exhibition matchup against University of New Brunswick, PC finished on top with a 1-0 victory.

The game went back and forth, staying scoreless until the final minutes of the third period. With 1:53 remaining, Murphy found Lauren DeBlois ’23 stationed on top of the right circle, and, with a quick shot, DeBlois put her team on the board.

Sandra Abstreiter ’22 was in net for the Friars for the first half of the game, tallying two saves in the first 20 minutes. Clare Minnerath ’20 finished up the game for PC and sealed the shutout win.

This hard-fought battle is exactly what PC needed to propel them into their season. Their first official game will be played on Friday, October 4 at Schneider Arena. The Friars will be facing Quinnipiac University, a team looking for revenge after losing to PC in Providence last year just 2-1.

A little bit further into the season, the team will face Northeastern. After falling to the Huskies in a close Hockey East playoff game and watching them go on to win the league, the Friars look forward to facing their rivals at the end of October.