Women’s Hockey Drops Puck on Second Season at Nazareth this Weekend

FRIDAY, NOV. 1 // 6:00 PM  SATURDAY, NOV. 2 // 2:00 PM BILL GRAY'S REGIONAL ICEPLEX // ROCHESTER, N.Y. LIVE STATS // VIDEO
EYES ON THE GAME SERIES RECORD // FIRST MEETING

BOSTON – Suffolk women's hockey second season is set to get underway this weekend with a two-game series at Nazareth. The Rams' season open is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1 at 6 p.m., with game two against the Golden Flyers on the following day's docket at 2 p.m. 

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SKATE IT BACK
History was made in 2018-19 with the inaugural Suffolk women's hockey season. The Rams made a name for themselves their first year out with a 15-8-2 overall campaign and a 10-4-2 league ledger, good for second in the NEHC standings. 

Suffolk saw its season spoiled in the NEHC Quarterfinals to UMass Boston, 2-1, to end the program's first year, 15-9-2.

WELCOME BACK
Nineteen members of the inaugural roster return, which includes all netminding highlighted by third-team all-league selection Kristen Caporusso (1.72 GAA, .929 save percentage). 

Offensively, 76.6 percent of the total offense returns in blue-and-gold with 73.7 percent of the 72 goals scored a year ago on the ice and 79.1 percent of the assists back as well.  

Shana Cote, who collected a handful of hardware a year ago highlighted by 2019 NEHC Rookie of the Year honors, anchors the scoring threats back in the Suffolk sweater. The forward from Broomfield, Colorado is the leading returner in assists (17) and points (25), and shares the top number potted pucks with her classmate Jesse Kennedy as the pair each found the netting eight times as freshman. Madison Duff, a second-team all-league selection last season, had a knack for setting-up scorers from the blueline a year ago with 14 handouts, while Haley Poloskey (9g, 6a) and Payton Dockus (8g, 4a) were consistent contributors on the offensive end as well.  

ROOKIE RAMS
Five incoming student-athletes joined the program for the second season.  

The group features two transfers in junior Maddy Burton and Meagan MacNeil and a trio of three freshmen Cassidy Gruning, Julia McLellan and Madison Ricardo. 

MORE READING: Rams Rookies: 2019-20 Women's Hockey 

GEOGRAPHY 101
Suffolk's women's hockey team has one of the most unique geographical footprints in the department with 11 states covered as well as two Canadian Provinces. 

Michigan has the most natives with five, with a duo coming from each Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts and Minnesota. California, Florida, Rhode Island, Utah and Wisconsin are represented by one Ram each. 

Canada wise, three hail from Ontario with a pair trekking to Beantown from British Columbia. 

BAY STATE SKATERS
The first-ever Suffolk women's hockey roster was absent of a Bay State skater, but the second recruiting class features a pair of Massachusetts players: Cassidy Gruning and Meagan MacNeil. 

Class Ranks
The bulk of the Rams' 24-player roster hails from Suffolk's Class of 2022 in 16 sophomores. Five juniors comprise the line-up with a trio of true freshman. 

PUCK POSITIONS
The 24 Rams are broken down into 12 forwards, eight skaters on the blue line and a four-headed contingent in net.  

COACH'S BOX
Taylor Wasylk returns to lead Suffolk for its second season. 

The first and only coach of Suffolk women's hockey looks to build off a successful year one that saw the Rams go 15-9-2 overall and 10-4-2 in league play. The 2019 NEHC Coach of the Year had nine Rams receive all-league recognition in the opening season. 

To help her in year two, Wasylk brought in Bridget O'Brien as an assistant coach as well as Tess Adams, who traded her stick in for a whistle after completing her collegiate eligibility as the Rams' first senior in 2018-19, as a volunteer assistant.   

SCHEDULE SITUATION
Suffolk has put together a 25-game schedule surrounded by 16 NENHC conference games. Rams fan will see the blue-and-gold suit up 11 times at Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.  

HI, NICE TO MEET YA
Suffolk will face fresh competition in year two in Amherst (Feb. 13), Connecticut College (Jan. 14), Nazareth (Nov. 1-2), Trinity (Jan. 5) and Wesley (Nov. 30 & Dec. 1). 

OPENING ACT

• Suffolk is 0-1-0 in season debuts after dropping the program's first-ever game, 5-2, at Nichols October 26, 2018. 
• The Rams will open their campaign on the road for the second straight season. Suffolk has always competed on road ice in the first outing of the year.  

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
Suffolk's opening-weekend trip to Rochester marks the first time in Rams' history the blue-and-gold skated outside of the New England region.  

TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO BEAT THE BEST
Suffolk has stiff competition on the 2019-20 calendar with a pair of foes appearing in the intitial USCHO Division III Coaches' Poll of the season in No. 9 Norwich and opening weekend rival Nazareth, who is receiving votes.  

WATCH AND SEE
Head coach Taylor Wasylk sat down with GoSuffolkRams.com to preview the Rams' 2019-20 campaign. To hear what Wasylk had to say and get a glimpse inside the Rams' training session click the video below. 

PRESEASON POLL POSITION
In its second varsity season, Suffolk women's hockey has been projected to repeat as the runners-up in the New England Hockey Conference via the preseason coaches' poll. 

MORE READING: Women's Hockey Predicted Second in NEHC Preseason Coaches' Poll

GET TO KNOW THE GOLDEN FLYERS
Similar to Suffolk, Nazareth's women's hockey program began a year ago as well. The Golden Flyers put together a stand-up inaugural season showing with a 19-5-2 overall mark and a 13-4-1 UCHC record.  

Not only did they finish second in the UCHC, but the Golden Flyers had some of the nation's best statistics in several categories, including a per-game scoring margin of 3.36, which finished third. In its first season on the ice, Nazareth outscored its opposition 120-36 with nine shutouts. 

Adrianna Brehm was the crucial ingredient in keeping foes off the scoreboard as the goalkeeper assembled a .940 save percentage and a 1.34 GAA over 23 appearances with seven cleansheets on her stat line.  

 The dynamic duo of Haiiley Redders and Emily Kromer propelled Nazareth's offense as each eclipsed the 30-point mark. Redders edged out Kromer for top on the team in points with 37 behind a team-best 15 goals, while Kromer was one shy with 36 points on 14 markers. Each dished out a squad-best 22 helpers. 

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Nazareth will meet for the first time. 

EYES ON THE GAME

LOOKING AHEAD
Suffolk transitions right into NEHC play next weekend with a pit stop to Plymouth State on tap Friday, Nov. 8 before the Rams' home debut the following day, Saturday, Nov. 9 against Castleton.