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Women’s ice hockey opens inaugural season: Historic moment for Framingham women’s athletics

Sophia Oppedisano

Women's ice hockey players skating.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST

By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor The Framingham State women’s ice hockey team established their place in the Rams’ varsity program when they took the ice at Loring Arena for the first time in University history Oct. 31. The women’s ice hockey team is the ninth women’s varsity sport sponsored by Framingham State Athletics. The program is led by Head Coach Robert Lavin, who is returning to Rams’ ice hockey after serving as the men’s ice hockey head coach from 2001-2003. The team joined the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) after the conference announced that women’s ice hockey would be its 19th sponsored sport. For this inaugural season, the Rams have a short bench of only 16 players, 14 of whom are freshmen. Emma O’Regan, a junior from Westford, is the eldest on the team. She came out of a three-year retirement to play for the program. “I haven't played an actual game since I graduated high school in 2022 - it's been a little bit, but I'm excited to be back,” she said. O’Regan added despite the teams’ early losses, “For years to come, we're going to be the people who set the standards and pave the way for this team.” The Rams dropped their first three contests against Nichols College and Salem State University, but they have shown promise as they begin to find their footing. In their home opener against the Nichols College Bison Oct. 31, the Bison blanked the Rams in a 6-0 shutout. The Bison did not waste time establishing a dominant offense that outshot the Rams 83-11, but freshmen goalies Anna McGinty and Lila Chamoun handled the relentless pressure with grace, combining for 77 saves. They combined for a .929 save percentage despite the six goals. Their efforts could not curb the Bison as the Rams’ shortened bench fought for time outside of their defensive zone. The Rams struggled with penalties, totaling 23 penalty minutes on 10 infractions compared to the Bisons’ 10 penalty minutes on five infractions. Lavin said the team struggled with physicality and penalties during their exhibition games in the preseason. “We're going to be addressing that because the [exhibition games] we've had have been extremely physical on both ends. I think a lot of it is frustration, too. Sometimes, the other team gets away with something and [the Rams] try to make up for it. They shouldn't. It's supposed to be no check - it's physical, but no check. You don't want anyone to get hurt,” he said. Despite the Bisons’ 10 power play opportunities, they could only convert one for a goal. Four of the Rams’ penalty kills came in the third quarter. “I was really happy with them because we killed off a lot of penalties at the end. Nichols wasn't pulling back - they were trying to score, but [the Rams] won their battles and got pucks and the goalies were making saves,” Lavin said. After their first three games, the Rams have an 0.81 success rate on penalty kills. Undeterred by the shortcomings, the Rams’ skills still shone through. The team displayed deftness in using the boards to maximize puck movement, and freshman Bella Nappi’s speed and stick handling were unparalleled as she attempted to capitalize on the few fast breaks the Rams could find. Freshman Adrianna Rizzotto had arguably the most heart-stopping play of the night. After a stinging Bison shot off the post, Chamoun was caught in heavy traffic out in front of the Rams’ goal and Rizzotto managed to throw her stick out at an incoming rebound shot to barely tap the puck out of the net. The home crowd let out a sigh of relief that parlayed into cheers of encouragement as the Rams cleared the puck. “All that was really going through my head when I made that save was that I couldn’t let them score another goal - especially one that was deserved,” Rizzotto said. Among the lively spectators in the crowd were President Nancy Niemi and Dean of Students Meg Nowak Borrego. Lavin said, “It was good to see the school leadership here tonight. … The school has been great supporting [the team], and I think that's a huge thing.” The Rams had the opportunity for redemption the next night as they traveled to Nichols for a rematch Nov. 1. They significantly cut the deficit from the previous game, losing only 3-1 and scoring their first goal in program history. The Bison struck early, scoring all three goals in the first 14 minutes of play. The Rams’ lone goal was scored by freshman Kalina Cochran, assisted by Nappi and fellow freshman Sarah Lewis in the second period. Cochran is from Columbia, Maryland, and said she didn’t expect to be the player to score the first goal for the team, but “I’m excited to be able to contribute like that and I hope to score a bunch this season. “I look forward to growing together as a team and seeing my teammates get all their firsts,” she added. Nappi said, “To be a part of the program's history is definitely a huge achievement and I hope it can pave the way for many opportunities this season.” Chamoun came up big in the net, playing the first 40 minutes, saving 50 of the 53 shots on goal. McGinty shut out the third period when she came in for the last 20 minutes of gameplay. After their first three games, McGinty, Chamoun, and freshman goalie Brigid Milligan have averaged a combined save percentage over 0.90. Rizzotto said one of the big goals the team has for the season is just to compete. “We want to put up a good fight against all the teams we play and show them that we are not just a new team they can run over. I think we proved that in our second game against Nichols.” For their third contest, the Rams traveled to Salem State to face off against the Vikings Nov. 5. The Rams continued to build on their momentum in a 4-2 loss. The Vikings scored their first goal early in the first period and doubled their lead on a power-play goal to start the second. Late in the second, Ceira Garritty, a freshman from Stillwater, Minnesota, flipped the puck past a Viking defenseman and gave chase on it to flick a backhanded goal into the back of the net, cutting the Viking lead to 2-1. The Vikings answered early on in the third period to make the score 3-1, but freshman Petra Cernicek scored just over a minute later after Milligan made two tough saves and sent the resulting rebound onto Cernicek’s waiting stick. Cernicek flew past two Viking defensemen to bury a five-hole shot, bringing the deficit to 3-2. With hopes of tying the game and staying out of the loss column, Lavin pulled Milligan in favor of an extra skater, but the Vikings secured their victory with an empty net goal. After a few days of rest, the Rams are set for their first conference clashes against Rivier University at home Nov. 9, and Worcester State, where they will be the home team at the New England Sports Center Nov. 15. Lavin said, “Right now, it's just tough with 10 skaters over 20-minute periods. It wears them out. … But they're happy - they're just excited to be the first team, and they just want to build off every game and get stronger.” Nappi said, “Playing in an inaugural season is definitely an incredible experience. It’s a chance to set the tone for the program’s future and create lifelong memories. … We get to be part of something brand new and shape the team’s culture and identity.” As far as team chemistry, Rizzotto said the team has really started to gel during the past couple of weeks. Lavin has yet to name a captain or assistant captains for the team as they work to continue finding their footing in the first few weeks of game play. “Our team has gotten close since the start of the school year. We all come from different places and only a couple of us have ever played together before, so it was interesting to see how we would all do together,” Rizzotto said. Nappi said, “We’ve been focusing on building team chemistry, refining our strategies, perfecting puck movement, and analyzing game footage. These efforts have helped us start to find each other's way of playing as a unit and boost performance. I’m definitely excited to see our progress from here.” Members of the team come from as far as Jackson, Wyoming, where Cernicek is from, and New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Canada, where freshman Lily Wilson and Lewis are from, respectively. Nappi, who is from Utica, New York, said, “I chose FSU mainly for its commitment to both athletics and strong [appreciation] for sports, but also [because of] the new major of sports management. Being able to have that career option while playing a sport I love definitely sold it for me.” The women’s ice hockey team is looking to turn heads as they continue to make their mark on Framingham State Athletics and vie for their spot in the MASCAC conference this season.

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