Oct. 5, 2017
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's hockey team (0-2-0) welcomes the Union Dutchwomen (0-1-0) to the Pegula Ice Arena for its first home series of the 2017-18 season. Puck drop is set for Friday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 3 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Both games will be streamed GoPSUsports.com for free and fans can also follow along with live stats on GoPSUsports.com.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday
- Cubs Corner Kids Zone will be set up in the Gate B Lobby
Saturday
- Family 4 Pack Game - 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs & 4 soft drinks for $30
- Free Post-Game Skate with the Team
- Cubs Corner Kids Zone will be set up in the Gate B Lobby - this game will feature a balloon sculptor and a caricature artist
LAST TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions are coming off a pair of losses to then-No. 5 Minnesota Duluth in Duluth, Minn.
In the opener, the Bulldogs scored 1:22 into the game and held on to capture a 1-0 victory.
Then in the finale, the Nittany Lions kept Minnesota Duluth off the scoreboard for the first 67:55 of action, but the Bulldogs netted three goals en route to a 3-0 victory.
In net, senior Hannah Ehresmann made 60 saves on the weekend, including a 38-save performance in the finale.
SCOUTING UNION
The Union Dutchwomen tallied a 5-29-1 record last season under then-first year head coach Josh Sciba.
Union opened up the 2017-18 season last weekend with a 7-3 loss to Providence.
Offensively against Providence, Caitlyn McLaren scored once, while Arianna Kosakowski netted a pair of goals.
In net, Kate Spooner tallied a 43-save outing.
SERIES HISTORY VS. UNION
Prior to this weekend, Penn State and Union have met 10 times with Penn State leading the series, 5-4-1.
Last year, Penn State topped Union, 8-1, before falling, 4-2, in the series finale.
EHRESMANN GARNERS WEEKLY HONORS
Following the season-opening weekend at No. 5 Minnesota Duluth, senior Hannah Ehresmann was tabbed the CHA Goalie of Week for third time in her career.
On the weekend, Ehresmann made 60 saves, which included a 38-save outing in the series finale. Ehresmann kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard in four of six periods during the two-game series.
NEW FACES
Along with the seven freshmen, the Penn State women's hockey program welcomes three new faces to Hockey Valley.
The Nittany Lion freshman class is comprised of Chantal Burke, Natalie Heising, Cam Leonard, Shea Nelson, Katie Rankin, Morgan Rolph, and Sophie Slattery.
Behind the bench, first-year head coach Jeff Kampersal brought on Celeste Brown and Allison Coomey to complete his coaching staff.
COACH KAMPERSAL
Jeff Kampersal brings more than 20 years of experience as a head coach to Hockey Valley.
Prior to joining the Nittany Lions during the summer of 2017, Coach Kampersal was the head coach of the Princeton Tigers for 21 seasons. During his tenure at Princeton, Coach Kampersal tallied a record of 327-261-58.
Heading into the 2017-18 season, Kampersal ranks fifth in career victories among active women's hockey coaches with 327, a total that ranks seventh all-time.
SMART LIONS
Seven members of the Penn State women's hockey program were named All-American Scholars for the 2016-17 season, as announced by American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).
Laura Bowman, Kelsey Crow, Katie McMillan, Amy Petersen, Kelly Seward, Bella Sutton and Christi Vetter were among the 220 Division I-II student-athletes recognized by the AHCA.
HEISING WINS GOLD
Nittany Lion Natalie Heising and the U.S. Women's National Under-18 Team defeated Canada, 3-1, to capture its third-straight IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championship on Jan. 14, 2017.
Heising, a forward from Maple Grove, Minn., was named one of Team USA's three top players of the tournament.
PRESEASON POLL
After finishing fourth in the 2016-17 College Hockey America (CHA) regular season standings, the Penn State women's hockey team was selected fourth in the 2017-18 CHA preseason poll.
WELCOME BACK
Penn State returns 17 letterwinners to the team for the 2017-18 season, including a pair of College Hockey America (CHA) All-Rookie Team honorees.
In their first year donning the Blue & White, Brooke Madsen and Katie McMillan made their presence felt throughout the season.
Madsen, a forward, played in all 35 games and netted 21 points (7g, 14a). Madsen's season was highlighted with a three-assist outing in an 8-1 victory at Union (10/7).
On the blueline, McMillan recorded 11 points on four goals and seven assists in 35 games played.
2017-18 CAPTAINS
Senior defenseman Bella Sutton will captain the 2017-18 Nittany Lions, while Kelsey Crow and Aly Hardy will serve as alternate captains.
Sutton holds program records for goals by a defenseman (13) and points by a defenseman (40). She also ranks second in assists by a defenseman with 27.
On the power play, Sutton ranks fourth all-time in points (23), fourth in goals (nine), and tied for third in assists (14).
Crow, a junior defenseman, served as an alternate captain last season and she ranks sixth all-time at PSU in points by a defenseman with 12.
Hardy, a senior forward, has played in 73 games and tallied 10 points on three goals and seven assists. Off the ice, Hardy serves as the vice president for the Penn State Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB).
THE 2017-18 SLATE
Penn State is slated to play 34 contests during the 2017-18 regular season, which includes 15 games at the Pegula Ice Arena.
The 2017-18 regular season is highlighted by a trip to Minnesota Duluth (Sept. 29-30), hosting defending NCAA Champion Clarkson (Oct. 13-14), two series against Robert Morris (Oct. 28-29 & Jan. 26-27), a trip to Ohio State (Jan. 5-6), and hosting Princeton (Jan. 30).
NEXT UP
Penn State continues its homestand with No. 2 Clarkson next weekend. Puck drop is set for Friday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m.