Women’s Hockey Rides Win Streak into Weekend Series with Worcester State

SUFFOLK vs. WORCESTER STATE
Date Time Venue Video Stats	Friday, Nov. 5 6:10 PM Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center Worcester, Mass. WSULancers.com GoSuffolkRams.com
Date Time Venue Video Stats Program	Saturday, Nov. 6 4:50 PM Porrazzo Rink East Boston, Mass. Suffolk Playsight GoSuffolkRams.com Digital Program
Series	First Meeting

BOSTON – The Suffolk women's hockey team will look to build off the momentum it built during its two wins over opening weekend into a home-and-home series with Worcester State. The Rams will travel to Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center Friday, Nov. 5 for a 6:10 p.m. puck drop, before the Lancers stop by Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink the following day, Saturday, Nov. 6 for a 4:50 p.m. showdown.

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.

For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.

MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk women's hockey team scored three unanswered goals capped off by late minute heroics from Jesse Kennedy to come away with a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the UMass Boston Beacons at Edward T. Barry Ice Rink Saturday afternoon. 

MORE READING: Women's Hockey Battles Back for 5-4 Win at UMass Boston

SUFFOLK SCORES

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk opened its season in the win column for the second straight season behind a 5-2 victory over Plymouth State last Friday, Oct. 29. A day later, the Rams came back at UMass Boston and took down the Beacons 5-4 to start the year 2-0-0 for the first time in program history.

Shana Cote compiled identical two-goal, one-assist performances in the pair of outings last weekend to power Suffolk's 10-goal offense with six points. Sofia Scilipoti has multiple goals and assists to her credit as well with the junior's four-points divided evenly between markers and set-ups. Nine other players produced at least one point thus far.

Julia McLellan took on the bulk of the action in net for the Rams. The junior boasts a 2.99 GAA and .899 save percentage. Lily O'Neil (3.06 GAA, .667 save %) earned the first victory of the year, while freshman Hannah Gordon is likely to make her collegiate debut between the posts this weekend. 

LANCERS LOOK
Worcester State went 2-0-0 in its first weekend in its existence as the Lancers swept Arcadia in the program's inaugural outings. The first came in shutout fashion, 5-0, while the second came in overtime, 3-2.

A pair of Becker transfers have powered the Lancers' eight-goal offense. Cassidhe Wozniak registered a natural hat trick in the season debut. Clare Conway, meanwhile, while scattered three points over the first two games with one goal and a pair of assists. 

Amber Lee backstopped Worcester to its two triumphs. The goal posted a 22-save shutout in the first-ever Lancer's outing, and then put together a 29-stop effort in the overtime victory. In the two games, the junior netminder, who also played for the Hawks at Becker, compiled a .999 GAA and .964 save percentage.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Worcester State will meet for the first time. 

EYES ON THE GAME

PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Shana Cote had a historic opening-week to her senior season as she became the inaugural Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Week after a six-point performance in a 2-0-0 week for the Rams.

MORE READING: Cote Collects CCC Player of the Week 

RAMS RECOGNITION
Shana Cote of the Suffolk women's hockey team grabbed Ram of the Week after garnering 75 percent of the votes cast. The recognition came on the heels of a six-point week by the senior forward that anchored the Rams to the program's first-ever 2-0-0 start.

MORE READING: Cote Collects Ram of the Week 

FIRST-YEAR FINESSE
Suffolk's first-years made an immediate impact on the ice last weekend. Four skaters making their blue-and-gold's debuts combined for eight points in two games highlighted by four from Sofia Scilipoti. The Toronto, Ontario native found the back of the net in the season opener and followed with a three-point, one-goal, two-assist outing at UMass Boston the following afternoon. Leslie Steiner contributed one assist in each game, while Julia Franklin and Vanessa Stuart notched one handout and one marker, respectively. 

SPREAD THE WEALTH
Seven Rams skaters recorded a point in the 5-2 season-opening win over Plymouth State Oct. 29 and nine Suffolk student-athletes etched their names on the scoresheet with one point at UMass Boston. Over opening weekend, 11 blue-and-gold players logged at least one point.   

STARTING STRONG

• Suffolk began the year victorious for the second straight season after defeating the Panthers, 5-2, Oct. 29.  
• The Rams are 2-0-0 when playing their first contest of the year at home.
• Suffolk won its season opener for the second time in program history and second time in as many years.
• Behind its 5-4 comeback win at UMass Boston Oct. 30, the Rams improved to 2-0-0 on the year, its best start in program history. 

RECORDS ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN
During the 5-2 season-opening triumph over Plymouth State, Suffolk saw multiple records either be matched or be rewritten.

• The Rams lit the lamp five times in the season debut for the second time in as many seasons.
• Suffolk notched a short-handed and power play goal for the first in the season debut.
• Shana Cote's two goals matched an individual season-opening high set by Haley Poloskey in the program's inaugural outing at Nichols, a 5-2 decision Oct. 26, 2018.
• Cote's three points mark a new student-athletes' best in the first game of the year.
• Cote is the first-ever player to net a power play goal in the first outing of a season.
• Cote is the first skater to put away a short-handed marker in game one.

HOME-AND-HOME SERIES

• Suffolk will participate in its fourth true home-and-home in program history this weekend against Worcester State.
• The Rams first-ever home-and-home was the inaugural weekend of action in program history against Nichols, Oct. 26-27, 2018. Suffolk fell to the Bison in both of those battles.
• Suffolk's last home-and-home was against Endicott March 20-21, 2021.
• The blue-and-gold has never won an outing that belonged to a home-and-home series in program history, 0-6-0.

WE'RE GOING BACK-TO-BACK

• Suffolk has played the same opponent in back-to-back battles five times for 10 total games.
• The Rams have either swept, or been swept when competing against the same foe in consecutive contests to hold a 2-8-0 record in such instances.
• Six of the 10 back-to-back outings were home-and-home, while a quartet took place on the same ice. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Suffolk lifts the lid on its Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) campaign next weekend, Nov. 12-13. The Rams visit the Colonels first, Friday, Nov. 12, at 7:00 p.m. before the blue-and-gold host its first league outing Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4:50 p.m.