The Tripod

The Trinity College women's ice hockey team emerged from winter break on an 11-game win streak and with a No. 4 ranking in the United States College Hockey Online.com (USCHO.com) Women's Division III Poll, but faced tough tests last weekend in games against Middlebury College and Williams College.

The No. 7 Middlebury College Panthers stopped Trinity's win streak this weekend with a 2-1 victory at Kenyon Arena in Middlebury, Vt. The Bantams recorded the program's first-ever win over Middlebury at home on Friday, Jan. 8, and hoped for a similar result this time. Middlebury got on the board less than two minutes into the game, but the Bantams responded when forward Celia Colman-McGaw '12 scored in the second period to tie the game. Middlebury scored its second and game-winning goal on a power play in the second period, and its strong defense held off a Bantam rally in the scoreless third period.

The Bantams lost a close contest to Williams College on Sunday, Jan. 30, 3-2. The win was the third in a row for Williams, who scored twice in the first period and was ahead the entire game. The Bantams got on the scoreboard in the second period on a goal by tri-captain forward Kim Weiss '11, assisted by forward Hannah Harvey '12. However, Williams responded with another score to go up, 3-1. Forward Jill Roloff '11 found the back of the net in the third period to bring the Bantams within one, but the Williams defense held for the rest of the game.

A tough weekend of hockey should not overshadow the team's impressive run through December and January. Weiss was proud of her team's winter break success saying, "One of our goals for the season was to start off winter break on the right foot and win the Codfish Bowl for the third year in a row. Accomplishing that set the stage for the rest of the break. It has been an incredible season so far with all of the success and national recognition we've had. We have a really talented and special group of girls this year, so hopefully we can rebound from this weekend and continue to build upon the success we've had."

The Bantams began their undefeated winter break play by winning the third Annual Women's Codfish Bowl Championship in Boston. The Bantams defeated Bowdoin, 3-0, and tournament host University of Massachusetts Boston, 3-0, in the finals. Bantam goalie and tri-captain Isabel Iwachiw '10 was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for the second time in her career. It was the third straight year that the Bantams have won the Codfish Bowl Championship.

On Friday, Jan. 8, the then-eighth-ranked Bantams took on the No. 5 Middlebury College Panthers at Williams Rink in the Koeppel Community Sports Center. The two teams have played extremely close games in recent meetings, but Trinity had never beaten the Panthers until its exciting 2-1 overtime victory. Scoring for the Bantams were defender Laura Komarek '11 in the first period, and Weiss netted the game winning goal on a penalty shot just 1:39 into overtime. Weiss said of the game, "I think for all of us, the best part of winter break was beating Middlebury. They are a perennial power in women's hockey and a good measuring stick for where we stack up."

The women also recorded a key win over the Division I Holy Cross Crusaders in a game in Hartford, Conn. on Tuesday, Jan. 12. After allowing two first period goals, the Bantams responded with four of their own. Harvey, Weiss, defender Emily Weedon '11, and defender Britney Ryan '13 all found the back of the net to secure the 4-2 victory.

Weiss was named the co- NESCAC player of the week for the week of Jan. 11 for her efforts in the Middlebury victory and a 5-1 victory over Williams College on Saturday, Jan. 9, in which she had two assists. The same week, Iwachiw was honored as the United States College Hockey Online (USCHO.com) Division III National Goalie of the Week.

Trinity now stands at 14-3-2, with a 7-3-2 record in the New England Small Athletic Conference (NESCAC). The Bantams are currently third in the NESCAC standings, trailing Amherst College, which is 8-1-3 in the conference, and Middlebury, which is second at 9-2-1. The Bantams finish what has been an impressive regular season with NESCAC games at Bowdoin College and Colby College the weekend of Feb. 12, and host Connecticut College at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 and Hamilton College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20.

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