RMU Women’s Hockey Claim Top Spot In CHA Power Rankings
By Larry Snyder
The challenge begins anew to reach the conference championship. The College Hockey America conference for Women’s hockey has been dropping the puck in college rinks since 2002. Let’s take a look at how the six schools in the conference fair in the opening round of the CHA Power Rankings.
-= Good Read: Steelers: Week Six Grades Vs. Cardinals =-
The beginning of this week saw the Robert Morris University Colonials at No. 12 in the Women’s NCAA Division 1 PairWise Rankings. The Blue and White was the only CHA school in the PW rankings.
Nationwide, RMU’s team offense is tied with the St. Lawrence University Saints for ninth, averaging 2.88 goals-per-game. Freshman left-wing Amber Rennie is the leader with five goals in eight contests while redshirt sophomore right-wing Brittany Howard is only one off the pace with four scores. Freshman center Sarah Quaranta and freshman defenseman Kirsten Welsh are tied for the lead in power play goals with two each.
Penn State and Boston University were the two programs in the “others receiving votes” section of the United States College Hockey Online poll. There are points waiting to be claimed this weekend, as the Nittany Lions hit the ice along with Mercyhurst, RIT, and Syracuse. All four are ready to seize the moment and climb over one another in the standings. Robert Morris and Lindenwood are idle this weekend.
Here is your opening College Hockey America Power Rankings:
1) Robert Morris University Colonials – (4-3-1 overall / 0-0-0 CHA) – Paul Colontino’s squad put up back-to-back sweeps against Merrimack and RPI the last two weekends. The RMU penalty kill unit has curtailed 16 straight penalties. Junior goaltender Jessica Dodds recorded the seventh shutout of her career last Friday against RPI. She is one away from tying Brianne McLaughlin’s career shutout record. The London, Ontario native was named the CHA Goalie of the Week on Monday. (RPI Rating #12 / KRACH Ranking #12)
2) Penn State Nittany Lions – (3-3-0 / 0-0-0) – Senior goaltender Celine Whitlinger and sophomore netminder Hannah Ehresmann each kept Union off the scoreboard last weekend as the Nittany Lions posted their first back-to-back shutouts over a division I program. Freshman Victoria Samuelsson had three assists in two games in the sweep of Union. The 5-foot-7 forward from Sweden was the CHA Rookie of the Week. (RPI Rating #11 / KRACH Ranking #11)
3) Syracuse University Orange – (2-3-0 / 0-0-0) – Melissa Piacentini concluded last weekend with a team-high three points against UConn and Providence. The 5-foot-2 senior forward from South Weymouth, Massachusetts collected CHA Player of the Week honors. She is tied with redshirt senior forward Nicole Ferrara for the team lead in goals with four apiece. {RPI Rating #19 / KRACH Ranking #20)
4) Lindenwood University Lions – (2-4-0 / 0-0-0) – Senior forward Shara Jasper is among six players tied for seventh in the country with 11 points. The 5-foot-5 forward from Aurora, Colorado has put up seven goals and four assists in six contests. (RPI Rating #18 / KRACH Ranking #17)
5) Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers – (1-3-0 / 0-0-0) – Scott McDonald’s crew is 14th in the country on the penalty kill with 84.6 percentage. They have stopped 11-of-13 in four games so far this season. (RPI Rating #28 / KRACH Ranking #25)
6) Mercyhurst University Lakers – (0-3-1 / 0-0-0) – A pair of forwards, senior Emily Janiga and freshman Rachael Smith, lead the team in points with four each. Janiga and senior defenseman J’nai Mahadeo have put up one power play goal apiece. (RPI Rating #25 / KRACH Ranking #21)
Next: RMU Hockey Captures Top Spot In AHC Power Rankings