Mercyhurst junior forward Christine Bestland was named to the All-USCHO third team for totaling 28 goals and 72 points this season. She reached 50-goal, 100-assist and 150-point marks this season. Lindenwood freshman goaltender Nicole Hensley was the only other player from a College Hockey America school to earn USCHO honors. She was named to the all-rookie team.
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. – The Mercyhurst University women’s hockey team felt right at home at Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena.
Behind a potent offense left by Christine Bestland’s six points and Jenna Dingeldein‘s two goals, the No. 6 Lakers dominated Lindenwood from start to finish in a 10-0 College Hockey America win Friday afternoon in a game that was initially scheduled for Mercyhurst Ice Center.
A water main break Thursday forced Mercyhurst officials to close the school and send students home through the weekend. But the change of venue didn’t bother the Lakers (18-4-1, 9-2-0 CHA), which have won all seven career meetings with the Lions by a combined 47-3 score.
Bestland assisted on all three first-period goals on her way to six assists. Her fourth assist, on Dingeldein’s second goal, sparked a three-goal second period. Bestland also assisted on the final two of the Lakers’ four third-period goals to give her 95 career assists. She also reached 150 career points in the game. Shelby Bram added three assists, while Caroline Luczak had her first career goal and an assist. Molly Byrne added a goal and assist for the Lakers, which outshot the Lions 48-17.
Amanda Makela (eight saves) and Julia DiTondo, which made nine saves in her collegiate debut, combined on the shutout. Taylor Fairchild made 36 saves for the Lions (2-22-1, 2-8-1). The two teams conclude the weekend series today at 2 p.m. at Erie Insurance Arena.
Lindenwood (2-21-1, 2-7-1 CHA) at No. 6 Mercyhurst University (17-4-1, 8-2-0)
When: Today, 3 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m.
Where: Today at Jamestown Savings Bank Ice Arena – Jamestown, N.Y., Saturday at Erie Insurance Arena
On the air: www.hurstathletics.com (live statistics)*
What to expect: Mercyhurst returns to College Hockey America action after splitting a two-game series at home last weekend against then-No. 2 Boston College. … The games were moved out of Mercyhurst Ice Center because of a water main break in the city Thursday, which forced university officials to close school and send students home through the weekend. … The Lakers have a three-point lead over second-place Syracuse in the conference standings. Robert Morris and Rochester Institute of Technology are four and five points behind, respectively. … The Lakers rose two spots in the USCHO.com Division I poll this week. … They have won six career meetings with Lindenwood by a combined 37-3 score, including a two-game sweep (6-1 and 6-0) Nov. 2-3 in Wentzville, Mo. … The Lakers will play three games in the next five days, capped by Tuesday’s trip to Ithaca, N.Y., to face No. 4 Cornell. … Mercyhurst ranks sixth in the latest Ratings Percentage Index and fifth in the PairWise rankings – two of the criteria the NCAA Division I selection committee uses to determine the eight-team field in the national tournament. … Lindenwood, a second-year D-I program in its first season as a CHA member, are 0-14 against non-conference opponents that includes nationally ranked North Dakota and Wisconsin as well as Minnesota State-Mankato and St. Cloud State. … The Lions shocked defending CHA champion RMU 5-2 Jan. 11. Lindenwood also beat Penn State and tied fellow CHA newcomer RIT earlier this season. … Mercyhurst holds its seventh annual “Pink the Rink” event this weekend as part of CHA’s “Skate for a Cure” campaign, which benefits breast cancer awareness. The Lakers will honor survivors during a ceremonial puck drop. They will have auctions for a jersey and American Greetings gift basket, as well as sell pink Mercyhurst hockey hats for $5 apiece. All ticket and 50-50 sales will be donated to a charity. The team also has held a coin drive on campus this week.
* The games won’t be broadcast on America One Sports’ webcast.
- Victor Fernandes
No. 5 Mercyhurst (8-1-1, 2-0-0 CHA) at Lindenwood (0-6-0, 0-0-0)
When: Today, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m.
Where: Lindenwood Ice Arena – Wentzville, Mo.
On the air: www.americaonesports.com (live stream), www.lindenwoodlions.com (live audio and statistics)
What to expect: Mercyhurst returns to College Hockey America action after playing eight straight non-conference games. … The Lakers posted 6-2 and 7-0 wins against CHA newcomer Rochester Institute of Technology Sept. 28-29. Now they face Lindenwood, which plays in its first-ever CHA games. … Mercyhurst won all four non-conference meetings with the Lions a season ago by a combined 37-3 score. … Lindenwood lost their first six games – two apiece against Minnesota State, Ohio State and Wisconsin from the WCHA – by a combined 34-6 score. The Lions finished 8-21-0 a season ago as a first-year NCAA independent team, but they were 0-18 against D-I opponents. … The Lions face their seventh and eighth games of the season against a team that has been nationally ranked this season. … Mercyhurst plays six of the next eight games on the road. … Lakers junior F Christine Bestland leads NCAA Division I with 18 assists and ranks third with 28 points. … Freshman F Emily Janiga (nine goals, 18 points) ranks fifth in scoring.
- Victor Fernandes
College Hockey America officials handed out the first player of the week awards of the season Monday. The Mercyhurst University women’s team captured all three honors.
Junior forward Christine Bestland was named player of the week, while senior Stephanie Ciampa and freshman forward Emily Janiga earned goaltender and rookie of the week, respectively.
Bestland had three goals and four assists in a season-opening sweep of CHA newcomer Rochester Institute of Technology, which put her over the 100-point mark in her career. Ciampa recorded her first career shutout in a 17-save effort against the Tigers Saturday. It was her first start since a 7-2 win against Lindenwood on Dec. 15, 2011. Janiga had the first three goals and two assists of her career, as well as her first hat trick, in those two games.
HAVERHILL, Mass — Robert DeGregorio, Commissioner for College Hockey America (CHA), announced today that Rochester
Institute of Technology (RIT) has been official admitted into the CHA beginning with the 2012-13 season.
The announcement follows RIT winning its first NCAA Championship on March 17. RIT has to go through the NCAA two-year provisional period before being eligible for NCAA Tournament play, but the Tigers will be able to be a part of the CHA Tournament starting next season, since the CHA does not have an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
“We are very excited to have RIT join College Hockey America,” states Commissioner DeGregorio. “They have had a very
successful women’s ice hockey program at the Division III level and it is only fitting for them to elevate their women’s program
to Division I. It is my belief that RIT, with the continued support of the administration will meet the challenges of becoming a
Division I women’s ice hockey program. I believe that they will compete immediately for both the CHA Championship and the
National Championship beginning with the 2012-13 season.”
“This is an exciting day for the RIT family as we unveil plans to elevate a women’s team to the Division I level,” says RIT
President Bill Destler. “We’re honored to be joining College Hockey America and to be associated with the exceptional schools in
this conference. Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for the program and the university.”
“This is a momentous event in the history of RIT women’s ice hockey,” explains Lou Spiotti, RIT’s Executive Director of
Intercollegiate Athletics. “We are very proud to be accepted into such an elite grouping of colleges and universities in College
Hockey America. A debt of gratitude goes out to all those who have helped to make this happen, including our president and his
leadership team, our trustees, our coaches, fans and the many hockey alumni who have contributed to our program.”
“We are very excited to make the move to Division I,” says RIT Head Coach Scott McDonald, the active Division III all-time
leader in winning percentage, who recently completed his sixth season behind the bench. “We see the success the men have had at
this level and want to mirror that. We are excited to play new teams and foster new rivalries. The support we receive from the
university is second to none.”
Rochester Institute of Technology joins fellow Empire State member Syracuse as well as Penn State, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris
and Lindenwood to make-up the six teams in the CHA. Each league member will play four games (two home, two away) against
the other league institutions during the 2012-13 season. The regular-season champion will host the 2013 College Hockey
America Tournament, as all teams will participate in the championship.
- From CHA news release
