CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's ice hockey will hit the road this weekend for a trip to Central New York, where it will face two nationally ranked opponents. The Crimson (2-5-0, 1-5-0 ECAC) will first battle the No. 10 Cornell Big Red (4-3-1, 3-1-0 ECAC) on Friday (Nov. 15) before taking on No. 5 Colgate (11-3-0, 4-0-0 ECAC) this Saturday (Nov. 16).
What to Know
Last Time Out
Harvard women's ice hockey heads into another challenging weekend series following a pair of narrow losses at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center. The team first fell to Princeton, before nearly knocking off the No. 7 Quinnipiac Bobcats, who escaped the Bright with a 1-0 win.
Gwyn Lapp, Gabi Davidson-Adams, and Kaley MacDonald scored the goals against Princeton, and Ainsley Tuffy made 40 saves against the No. 7 Bobcats in a terrific effort between the posts.
Scouting Cornell
The Cornell Big Red comes into the matchup riding a three-game winning streak after sweeping a series against Yale and Brown over the weekend. The team is ranked No. 10 in the USCHO poll after starting the season with a 4-3-1 record and a 3-1 mark in ECAC play. The team's success this season has stemmed from a relentless defensive effort that ranks in the top five nationally with its 1.63 goals-against average. Ashley Messier and Alyssa Regalado each have notched six assists to tie for the team lead in points.
Active Crimson skaters have had success against Cornell in their careers, as five players have racked up multiple points against the Ivy foe. Gabi Davidson Adams owns three points with a goal and two assists, while Jenna MacDonald also has three points with three assists. Kaley MacDonald has potted a pair of goals against Cornell, and Gwyn Lapp and Paige Lester each own two points in their careers against the Big Red.
Scouting Colgate
The Colgate Raiders enter the weekend with an 11-3 overall record and an undefeated 4-0 mark in ECAC action. The Raiders boast one of the nation's best offenses, averaging 4.29 goals per game and leading the nation with 19 power play goals this season. Kaia Malachino and Kristýna Kaltounkova rank in the top 15 nationally in goals per game, scoring 0.79 and 0.71 gpg, respectively. Kaltounkova and Elyssa Biderman also rank in the national top 10 with 1.50 points per game each. Hannah Murphy leads the goaltending effort for Colgate, posting a .915 save percentage and a 2.25 GAA in 12 games played.
Five active skaters have points against Colgate, with Brooke Manning and Zoe Boosamra being the only two in the group with a goal against the Raiders. Harvard is looking for its first win over Colgate since the 2020 season but still holds the advantage in the all-time series, 31-19-3.
After not finding the net in the first three games of the season, junior forward Gwyn Lapp has turned in several impressive performances over the past two weeks to grab hold of the team points lead. Lapp scored goals in three consecutive games – and added two assists in those games – to post five points over that stretch.
The team's leading scorer a year ago, Lapp currently ranks No. 15 in the ECAC in points per game with a 0.43 ppg clip.
From the Blue Line
Harvard's offensive attack this season has involved all five skaters on the ice, with contributions from all positions. The involvement of the defense has been especially notable, as Harvard blueliners make up three of the top six point scorers on the team.
Kaley MacDonald and Maria Pape each have three points, and Mia Biotti has recorded two points so far this season.
Tuff Luck
First-year goaltender Ainsley Tuffy stymied a surging No. 7 Quinnipiac team in just her second career start on Saturday, making 40 saves and holding the team to just one goal. It was the first time a Harvard first-year goalie had made 40 or more saves in a game since the 2017-18 season when Lindsay Reed accomplished the feat, also in her second career start.
Blocking Shots
One of the Crimson's strengths on the defensive end this season has been its ability to get into shooting lanes and block shots. The Crimson has already blocked 131 shots as a team, averaging 18.7 per contest. That total is the second highest in the NCAA and leads the ECAC.
Sophomore Maria Pape leads the team with 15 blocked shots and is fourth in the ECAC with 2.14 blocks per game. Jenna MacDonald is sixth in the ECAC with 14 blocked shots and a 2.0 blocks per game clip. First-year Scout Oudemool has blocked 12 shots so far this season, making her the fourth-highest shot-blocking forward in the nation.
The 100 Club
Senior captain Mia Biotti joined the 100 Club this past weekend after dressing for her 100th career game against Princeton on Friday. Jenna MacDonald and Gabi Davidson-Adams are next in line to reach 100 career games, as the duo currently sits at 96 games played each.
Up Next
The Crimson will take a brief pause from ECAC action next weekend when it competes in a home-and-home series with the Providence College Friars. Harvard and Providence will first match up at the Bright-Landry Hockey Center on Friday night (Nov. 22) before competing in game two of the series on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 23) in Providence.
