Cornell Knocks Off League-Leading Quinnipiac
ITHACA, N.Y. – In its first game of this weekend's road
trip, the women's ice hockey team took a full period to get going.
Saturday at Quinnipiac, the Big Red was on its game right away.
Three first-period goals powered No. 2/3 Cornell to a 7-1 victory
at league-leader Quinnipiac, causing the Big Red (7-1, 6-1 ECAC
Hockey) to overtake the Bobcats (6-7-1, 5-2-1) atop the conference
standings.
The offense got going quickly, putting up its highest goal total in
more than two weeks.
Cornell got on the board midway through the first period on a goal
right in front of the net by Chelsea Karpenko. The senior
benefitted from great passing behind the net by newcomers Emily
Fulton and Erin-Barley Maloney, who got her first Cornell point on
the play. After the Big Red held possession in Quinnipiac's zone
for more than a minute, Karpenko backhanded pass from Fulton past
Victoria Vigilanti for the team's first goal.
With three minutes remaining in the first, Cornell struck again.
Senior Amanda Young passed the puck ahead to Catherine White,
creating a three-on-two rush. White hesitated before passing to her
left, where Karpenko was waiting for the putaway. The goal was
Karpenko's 10th of the season.
With one minute to go in the first, the Big Red made it a 3-0 lead.
Rebecca Johnston earned her fifth goal of the year when she stole
the puck at the blue line and came through on a breakaway against
Vigilanti.
Cornell did not let up in the second period, scoring early on a
rebound by Brianne Jenner off a Jessica Campbell shot. That goal
caused a goalkeeping change, but it didn't stop the Big Red's
offense.
Cornell made it 5-0 on a power play goal with terrific passing from
Laura Fortino to Jenner to Fulton, who earned her fourth goal of
the season.
The score moved to 6-0 two and a half minutes later when Monika
Leck, behind the net, found Campbell in front. Campbell converted
her second goal of the year, and a small number of boos could be
heard from the fans at TD Bank Sports Center.
White got a goal of her own to go along with her two assists five
minutes into the third period, ending the Big Red's scoring.
Goalkeeper Lauren Slebodnick had an excellent evening, saving 30
shots and coming just two minutes shy of her seventh career
shutout. The Big Red defense was stellar as well, killing off five
Bobcats power plays.
The Big Red extends its winning streak against the Bobcats to five
games and remains undefeated at 2-0 against non-Ivy teams. Cornell
also now holds a seven-game winning streak against teams from
Connecticut (Yale and Quinnipiac) and is unbeaten in its last 11
games against Constitution State opposition.
Cornell has now scored at least three goals in the season's first
eight games for the first time in school history. The previous
record of seven was set last season.
Cornell can extend that record to nine with at least three goals
against No. 5 Boston University at Lynah Rink on Friday night. The
puck is set to drop at 7 p.m.













