BOSTON, Mass. – Looking to continue their historic season, women's hockey will make their NCAA Tournament debut as they travel to #3/4 Middlebury College this Saturday for a 4 p.m. First Round game at Chip Kenyon '85 Arena.
GAME INFORMATION
Live Stats - http://www.beaconsathletics.com/sports/w-hockey/2015-16/boxscores/20160312_uksl.xml
Video - http://www.nsnsports.net/colleges/middlebury/
TICKET INFORMATION
General Admission - $6
Students/Senior - $4
ALL-TIME SERIES
UMass Boston will be facing Middlebury College for the first time since the 2009-10 season when they suffered a 7-2 loss that season. All-time the Beacons are 0-4 against Middlebury. During those four games, UMass was outscored 27-5, and were held scoreless in their first two meetings.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
As one of the premiere Division III women's hockey programs since their founding, Middlebury College hoisted their eighth New England Small College Athletic Conference title last week. Thanks to a Maddie Winslow overtime goal at the 6:37 mark, the Panthers defeated rival Amherst College by the final of 5-4.
This season has been dominated by Winslow who leads the team with 40 points. The sophomore sits 12th in the country in points per game (1.48), 21st in goals per game (0.63), and eighth in assists per game (0.85). Behind her is Jessica Young who sits with 26 points heading into this year's national tournament. The sophomore boasts 11 goals and 15 assists through 27 games played.
Between the pipes Julia Neuburger has carried most of the load this season, with her team leading 1,016 minutes of playing time. She currently has a .931 save percentage, and has a 1.48 goals against average. Her 12-3-2 record has her sitting, and .765 winning percentage has her sitting 10th in the country.
SCOUTING THE BEACONS
If UMass Boston is to continue their historic run then they must continue to do the one thing that has got them to this point, and that is play like there is no tomorrow. The Beacons, who have had one of their most successful regular seasons in the program's short history, went into the NEHC Tournament ready to prove something. That something, was that they were ready to be champions. They were done settling for just a semi-final appearance, with their eyes set on the prize, the Beacons shocked the conference with a dramatic 2-1 overtime win over Castleton and a 2-0 win over Norwich.
Proving to be the biggest factor during that Beacons historic stretch was senior Jenny Currie (Chelmsford, Mass.), who enters her first-ever national tournament, with a team-leading 24 points (17g, 7a). Right behind her fellow senior Alexandra Karlis (Denver, Colo.) has put together her best season ever in a Beacons sweater as she boasts 21 points (5g, 16a). Junior Kristen Embrey (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) sits third on the team with six goals and 14 assists. Not to be overlooked sophomore Alli Bianchini (Detroit, Mich.) will take full advantage of any opportunity that comes her way, just like it did when she scored the game-winner against Castleton.
Defensively, the Beacons have had to rely on four key players' week in and week out this season. Senior captain Alexa Cappione (Massena, N.Y.), junior Kat Armstrong (Boulder, Colo.), and freshmen Katie Jeter (Winthrop, Mass.) and Arielle Gallucci (Warren, N.J.). The four Beacons have helped lead UMass to an impressive six shutouts this season, including the win over Norwich University in last Saturday's championship.
Rachel Myette (Pembroke, Mass.) has emerged as the true ringleader behind the Beacons tremendous season. Stepping in as the Beacons go-to netminder, the sophomore will enter this year's national tournament with the single season record for save percentage (.942), and goals against average (1.55). She boasts 503 total saves and sits second for wins in a season at UMass with 11 (11-7-0).
STAT TO KNOW
The Beacons enter this year's national tournament ranked 19th in the country in goals per game (2.61), and are 14th in the country in goals against per game (1.75). Earlier this year Middlebury faced NEHC members Castleton University and Norwich University and dropped both meetings by the finals of 3-2.
