Women's Hockey Resumes Action with Tuesday Clash Against Penn State

ABOUT THE BIG RED

Cornell enters the matchup with an overall record of 8-4-1 and is 2-0-3 in non-conference play.
The last time the Big Red played was over five weeks ago when it posted a weekend sweep over then No. 9/9 St. Lawrence and No. 3/3 Clarkson. Cornell outscored the nationally ranked teams by a combined total of 7-1.
As a team, the Big Red is averaging 3.15 goals, which ranks 11th in the nation. The Big Red is holding its opponents to 1.77 goals per game, which ranks 10th. Cornell has reached or eclipsed the three-goal mark in 10 of its 13 games this season.
At Lynah Rink, the Big Red is 5-0, while it is 3-1-4 on the road.

Cornell finished the 2017-18 season with an overall record of 21-9-3 and seventh in both of the major Division I polls.
For the eighth time in the last nine years the Big Red advanced to the ECAC Hockey Semifinals, where it lost to the eventual national runner-up Colgate on a last second goal.
Kristin O'Neill and freshman standout Maddie Mills led the team's offensive attack. O'Neill led the team in points (41), goals (20) and assists (21). Mills, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year last season, was close behind with 33 points on 15 goals and 18 assists.
Of the four players who earned all-ECAC Hockey honors last season three are returning to the squad. O'Neill earned team honors, while Maddie Mills was tabbed to the all-rookie team. Defensemen Jaime Bourbonnais and Sarah Knee earned second and third team accolades, respectively.
Bourbonnais who returns to squad this year led all defensmen in points on the team with 24. The then sophomore was tied for the team lead for assist with O'Neill with 21 and recorded three goals on the season.
In net, Marlène Boissonnault was the main goaltender, starting 31 of the of the Big Red's 33 games. The Dundee, New Brunswick, native posted a goals against average of 1.76 paired along with a .924 save percentage. Boissonnault finished the season with two shutouts and an overall record of 21-7-3.

Now in his 14th season directing the Cornell women's hockey program in 2018-19, Doug Derraugh has brought the Big Red women to their place among the nation's elite.
Derraugh has a 251-145-40 record as the head coach of the Big Red, with his 250th win coming in the form of a 4-0 win over No. 9/9 St. Lawrence.
Cornell has made the ECAC Hockey Tournament each of the last 11 seasons, has won the tournament four of the last nine years and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in six of those seasons.
The 2017 ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year guided the Big Red to the national title game in his fifth season and back-to-back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
He led the team to five consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history in 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-2014.

Following is weekend sweep of St. Lawrence and Clarkson, the Big Red jumped up three spots in both the USCHO.com poll and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls to the No. 4 team in the country. This marks the Big Red's highest ranking in both polls since team was ranked fourth in the nation in the final 2013-14 poll
In the USCHO.com poll, Cornell received 99 votes, which was eight more than fifth-ranked Clarkson and 18 fewer than third-ranked Northeastern.
In the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll, Cornell received 128 votes, which was 10 more than fifth-ranked Clarkson and 19 fewer than third-ranked Northeastern.

The Nittany Lions enter the matchup with an overall mark of 8-9-3 and are 3-4-1 at home. This season against ECAC Hockey opponents they have gone 4-1-1.
Natalie Heising leads the team with 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists this season. The second leading point-scorer is defenseman Kelsey Crow, who has 11 with a goal and 10 assists.
In net, Jenna Brenneman has played all but one game for the Nittany Lions this season. The junior goaltender owns a goals against average of 1.61 and a .931 save percentage.

The two schools met for the first time on Nov. 21, 2017 when they played to a 1-1 tie at Lynah Rink.
After a power play goal from Penn State's Kesley Crow with just under eight and a half minutes left in the second period put the Nittany Lions up 1-0, Diana Buckley forced the game to overtime with a goal with 1:28 left in regulation.
The Nittany Lions are a fairly new program, commencing collegiate play in the 2012-13 season.

The Big Red enters Tuesday's matchup riding an eight-game unbeaten streak. With a win or tie Cornell would tie is longest unbeaten streak from last season.
During the streak, the Big Red has posted a record of 4-0-4.

The Big Red knocked off a pair of top 10 teams at Lynah Rink, as it topped No. 9/9 St. Lawrence and No. 3/3 Clarkson to complete the weekend sweep.
In the first game against St. Lawrence, the Big Red posted its third shutout of the season, winning 4-0. The Big Red first scored with 6:47 left in the 2nd with a tally off the stick of Pippy Gerace. Then near the midway point of the third Lenka Serdar put the Big Red up 2-0. Cornell added two empty-netters from Paige Lewis and Maddie Mills to earn the 4-0 win. Marlène Boissonnault finished the contest with 18 denials in net.