PURCHASE, N.Y. – It is now officially a record-breaking start to the season for the Wesleyan women's hockey team as the Cardinals moved to 6-0 on the year after defeating Manhattanville 6-1 on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals (6-0) lit the lamp five times in the second period alone, three of which coming on the power play, to deny the Valiants (7-4-1).
Wesleyan's victory on Saturday puts a cap on a brilliant semester of play, as the Cardinals eclipse the previous program record for best start to a season which came back in 1998-99 when Wesleyan opened 5-0. Leading the way was a host of contributors as five different Cardinals scored while nine registered at least one point.
Christina Tournas '25 pumped in three points (one goal, two assists) while
Brigitte Goeler-Slough '23 scored twice to post her first career multi-goal game.
After a scoreless first period, the Cardinals broke the deadlock with a goal just 1:50 into the second period as
Chiara Christie '23 scored on the power play.
Mairead Kennedy '24 worked the puck to the left wing to
Sam DeLeo '25 who fired a cross-ice pass to Christie. The junior forward then found the back of the net with her wrist shot as the Cardinals led early in the second.
Just a few minutes later,
Jenna Stevens '24 did well to break up the Valiants' breakout attempt from their defensive zone. Wesleyan's forecheck hemmed the puck in the Manhattanville zone.
Christina Tournas came around into the slot, back passed to Stevens at the point who had an initial shot attempt blocked but she won the loose puck back, backhanded a pass to
Christina Tournas who lofted a shot over the shoulder of Manhattanville goalie Franny Gerardi to make it 2-0 Wesleyan.
Manhattanville answered back with a Morgan Miller goal just 1:40 later to make it a 2-1 game but it was a Wesleyan onslaught in the final 5+ minutes of the second period as three goals put the game away. On a delayed penalty, Wesleyan was skating with an extra attacker in center ice.
Jenna Rekoske '24 eventually broke the puck into the Valiants' zone and gave to
Christina Tournas on the right wing skating up-ice. She then spotted Goeler-Slough open in the slot who one-timed her first career goal past a sprawling Gerardi to restore the two-goal Wesleyan advantage.
With Wesleyan now skating on the power play,
Effie Tournas '25 got involved in the scoring as the Cardinals worked a great series of passes from Kennedy at the point to DeLeo on the left wing to
Effie Tournas open in the slot. The tape-to-tape passes had the Valiant defense scrambling and the Cardinals now led 4-1.
Manhattanville took another penalty late in the second period, again setting Wesleyan up on the power play as this time it was Renoske from behind the net who sent a pass to
Jenna Stevens who whipped a cross-ice pass to
Caroline Mezias '25. With time, Mezias worked the angle on her lefty wrist shot and went upper left corner to cap the five-goal second period for Wesleyan.
The Cardinals added one more in the third period as
Effie Tournas received the puck at the far boards and spotted her sister open in the slot. Receiving the pass,
Christina Tournas was allowed time to shoot and her shot was deflected past Gerardi by Goeler-Slough right in front to seal the 6-1 win for Wesleyan.
Wesleyan dominated on special teams in this one, going 3-for-5 on the power play while matching a season-low with just two penalties committed for the game. DeLeo,
Jenna Stevens, Kennedy and
Christina Tournas all finished with two assists apiece. For
Christina Tournas and Goeler-Slough, they each scored their first career goal in the win.
Rei Halloran '23 made eight saves in net to record her sixth win of the season.
The Cardinals will be back in action right after the calendar turns to 2022 as Wesleyan hosts the University of New England on Sunday, January 2 at 4 PM.
