Weekly Release: Road Sweet Road

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ALBANY, N.Y. - "There's no place like home" was certainly not the theme in last week's ECAC Hockey women's play as the home teams prevailed in only two out of 13 contests.  Cornell was the lone host team to come out on top, as they downed visiting Quinnipiac (4-3) and Princeton (3-2). 

No. 2-ranked Harvard continued its perfect play earning three victories last week, remaining the only unbeaten team in the country.  In a mid-week match-up between two 10 ten teams, Harvard one-bettered Dartmouth 2-1 in league play as junior forward Sarah Vaillancourt scored a goal and added an assist for the Crimson, while sophomore goaltender Christina Kessler stopped 28 shots in the showdown.  The Crimson also posted a 5-2 win over Rensselaer Friday and blanked Union 6-0 Saturday.  Helping her earn ECAC Hockey Player of the Week, Vaillancourt was again one of the stars for the Crimson netting two goals and one assist against the Engineers.  On the following night six different players scored goals, as the Crimson a blazed a season-high 61 shots on Dutchwomen junior goaltender Lundy Day. 

Rensselaer would not get a chance to relax, as the following evening it played host to No. 8-ranked Dartmouth.  The Engineers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but were soon overpowered by the Big Green's high-power offense that netted the next four goals in a span of seven minutes to take the lead and defeat Rensselaer by a count of 6-4.  The Big Green was led on offense by sophomore forwards Jenna Cunningham (1-4--5) and Sarah Parsons (2-1-3).  On Friday evening Union was outshot 54-9 against the Big Green, but only surrendered two goals in the 2-0 defeat. 

Union fared better during the week, as it snapped its 33-game losing streak in a 7-1 trouncing of Sacred Heart last Tuesday.  The Dutchwomen earned first-year head coach Claudia Asano her first first coaching victory.  Freshman forward Callee Heywood netted her first two college goals and Lundy Day earned the victory between the pipes for the Ducthwomen recording 23 saves.

No. 4-ranked St. Lawrence continued its dominate play improving its league record to 7-1-0 and overall record to 11-3-0.  The Saints notched victories at Brown 6-2 Friday and 3-2 at Yale Saturday.  Junior forward Carson Duggan provided the offensive assault registering her third career hat trick in the victory over the Bears.  With strong special teams play the Saints continued their dominance over Yale remaining unbeaten against the Bulldogs (22-0-1).  Senior netminder Meaghan Guckian improved her personal season record to 8-3-0 in stopping 24 shots. 

Clarkson also continued its quality play on the ice by defeating Yale Friday 6-0 and Brown Sunday 2-1.  Junior forward Marie-Jo Gaudet and freshman forward Melissa Waldie netting hat tricks in the victory over the Bulldogs.  Freshman netminder Eve Grandmont-Berube posted her fourth shutout of the season with 20 saves in the win over Yale and stopped 16 shots in the one-goal victory at Brown to complete her first collegiate weekend sweep.  The two freshmen standouts received Rookie of the Week and Goaltender of the Week for their accolades. 

Cornell was the only ECAC Hockey that notched home wins last week by beating by Quinnipiac 4-3 Friday and edging Princeton 3-2 Saturday.  In other action Colgate earned one point tying Quinnipiac Saturday 1-1 in overtime.