Women's Ice Hockey Hosts LIU to Start the New Year

Sunday, January 3

Hamden, Conn.

5:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

LIU

Photo by: Rob Rasmussen / P8Photos.com

1/2/2021 1:50:00 PM | Women's Ice Hockey

Bobcats to Open the New Year vs the LIU Sharks

By: QU Athletic Communications

HAMDEN, Conn. - The No. 10 Quinnipiac women's ice hockey team is back in action as the New Year begins with a home game on Sunday, Jan. 3 against LIU. Puck drop against the Sharks is set for 5 p.m. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+ and Stretch Internet for international viewing. The Bobcats are coming off a 2-0 sweep of the Sacred Heart Pioneers; Quinnipiac outscored Sacred Heart 15-2 to open the 2020-21 season.

#10 Quinnipiac Bobcats (2-0-0, 0-0-0 ECAC Hockey) vs LIU Sharks (0-0-0, 0-0-0 NEWHA)
Sunday, Jan. 3 | 5 PM
People's United Center | Frank Perrotti Jr. Arena | Hamden, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. LIU: 0-0-0

WATCH (U.S.) | WATCH (INTERNATIONAL) | LIVE STATS | GAME NOTES

Last Time Out
The Bobcats hosted the Sacred Heart Pioneers in the team's first game since March of 2020. Six different Bobcats scored in the home opener on Dec. 13, as Quinnipiac downed Sacred Heart, 6-1. Junior Katie Huntington and first-year Nina Steigauf both scored their first career goals in the win. Six Bobcats also tallied more than one point in the win. In the Bobcats' 9-1 victory against the Pioneers on Dec. 14, senior Taylor House tallied a career-high five points (4a, 1g) to lead the team. Redshirt-sophomore Logan Angers recorded her fourth career victory against Sacred Heart and head coach Cass Turner earned her 100^th career win.

Scouting LIU
The LIU Sharks (NEWHA) will face No. 10 Quinnipiac in its first game of the 2020-21 season. The Sharks are a second-year program and finished the 2019-20 season with a 14-18 overall record. LIU finished last season with a four-game win streak and won the NEWHA Championship after defeating Saint Michael's, Sacred Heart and Saint Anselm by a combined score of 11-0.

The Sharks' leading scorer last season was Carrigan Umpherville, who tallied 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points. In the net, Mia McLeod and Kenzie Harmison split time for the Sharks. McLeod recorded a save percentage of .910 and a goals against average of 3.41; Harmison tallied a save percentage of .941 and a goals against average of 2.00.

A First in Hamden
This will be the first time the Bobcats and Sharks have met on the ice. Later in the season, Quinnipiac will welcome the Sharks back to Hamden on Saturday, Jan. 16, and will travel to LIU on Sunday, Jan. 17.

Scoring All Around
Fourteen different Bobcats recorded at least a point through the first two games of the 2020-21 season. Quinnipiac's nine goals scored against Sacred Heart was the most since Feb. 22, 2020 when the Bobcats scored nine against Brown. Senior Renee Saltness notched a +7 on-ice rating and one game-winning goal through two games against the Pioneers.

Senior Taylor House earned the ECAC Third Star of the Week for her five-point performance in the 9-1 win. Junior Lexie Adzija also got off to a strong start with one goal and two assists in the Bobcats' 6-1 win and earned the ECAC Third Star of the Week for play from Dec. 7-13.

Shots on Goal
Quinnipiac tallied 68 shots on goal in the home opener against the Pioneers. Sixty-eight shots tied the record when the Bobcats tallied 68 shots against RPI on Feb. 27, 2016.

Angers' vs the Pioneers
Redshirt-sophomore Logan Angers has played four games against the Pioneers and recorded a 4-0 recorded, allowing just two goals against. Angers looks to

Saltness' Solid Start
Senior Renee Saltness tallied six points through two games to start the 2020-21 season. The senior forward currently leads the nation with 3.00 points per game.

The Queens of the Faceoff
Junior Lexie Adzija was stellar in the faceoff circle for Quinnipiac through the first two games. Adzija won 36-of-43 faceoffs taken against the Pioneers (84%). In the Bobcats' second game, the St. Thomas, Ontario native only lost one faceoff (19-of-20). Senior Brooke Bonsteel was also solid winning 75% of her faceoffs (21-of-28).

Bobcats Breaking Free
The 2020-21 start for the Bobcats was a historic one. Quinnipiac scored 15 goals, which is the best start in program history through the team's first two games, and the Bobcats held the Pioneers to just two goals.

A Look at the 2020-21 Bobcats
Quinnipiac has returned a solid group of veterans to the squad this year. After losing five seniors at the end of last season, 18 letter-winners return to Hamden ready to take on this unprecedented season. Of those 18 returners, three of the top five-point scorers will be back – Lexie Adzija (11-18-29), Sadie Peart (12-12-24) and Taylor Girard (6-12-18). The Bobcats will also welcome seven first years to the team.

Captains in Command
Four seniors will lead the 2020-21 Bobcats as captains. Olivia Konigson will wear the "C" and will guide the defensive core as a standout veteran. Brooke Bonsteel, Laura Lundblad and Grace Markey will all wear "As". The alternate captains recorded a combined 48 total points last season and look to continue their momentum on the offensive side of the puck with a strong group of returners and newcomers.

First Years Fired Up
The Bobcats welcome seven first years to the team – five Americans and two Canadians. Olivia Mobley hails from St. Louis Park, Minn., and looks to bring her strength and powerful scoring presence to the team after an excellent career at Breck High School where she earned the prestigious Ms. Hockey Minnesota award. Kendall Cooper brings national team experience to the team; the Burlington, Ontario native served as the captain of the U18 Hockey Canada National Team and most recently won gold at the 2019 World Championships in Japan.

Samoskevich, Ever Heard of Her?
First-year Maddy Samoskevich has a last name you have probably heard before. Her older sister, Melissa '19, served as a two-year captain for Quinnipiac and was a 100-point scorer and ECAC Regular Season and Tournament Champion during her time as a Bobcat. Maddy Samoskevich comes to Quinnipiac with a similar path like her sister – she went to Shattuck-St. Mary's and returned home to Connecticut to start her collegiate hockey career. She will join the Bobcats' defensive core alongside Kendall Cooper.

Returners Looking to Continue Momentum from Last Season
Nine returning Bobcats scored double-digit points last season, and six of those tallied career-best point totals. Junior Lexie Adzija led the team with 29 points last season with a +10 on-ice rating. Sophomore Sadie Peart will return as the team's top power play scorer after netting four last season. Peart's first-year campaign (12-12-24) was the best by a first year since Melissa Samoskevich recorded 32 points her rookie season. Sophomore Kate Reilly tallied 17 points as a first-year defenseman in 2019-20 and earned a spot on the ECAC All-Rookie Team.

ECAC Hockey Update
The ECAC released the conference schedule on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Four teams make up the conference this year, as many programs decided not to play amidst the pandemic. Quinnipiac, Clarkson, Colgate and St. Lawrence will make up ECAC Hockey in 2020-21. On the women's side, all four teams will play each other four times total during the season. After playing 12 conference games each, the teams will face off in the playoffs with a semifinal and championship game March 5-7.

National Polls
Quinnipiac is ranked as the No. 10 team in the nation in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll and is also receiving votes in the USCHO.com Poll. Within the ECAC, Clarkson is ranked #7/7 and Colgate is ranked #5/5.

Cassandra Turner Earns 100 Wins
Head coach Cass Turner earned her 100th career win as a head coach after a 9-1 win against Sacred Heart.

Non-Conference Matchups
The Bobcats will play four non-conference games this season. Quinnipiac will open the season against Sacred Heart and will later face the LIU Sharks (NEWHA) in January 2021.

To stay up-to-date on news surrounding Quinnipiac women's ice hockey, follow on social media @QU_WIH.