By Jason Richland
WORCESTER – NU’s top hockey team- the ones who play on turf – took a pit stop at Holy Cross on Saturday afternoon, where the Huskies snatched a 6-3 win at Hart Astroturf.
The Huskies (4-1) were paced by sophomore Whitney Shean, who recorded a pair of goals and an assist.
“It’s not just one person,” Shean said. “It has been a team effort. The team’s success isn’t about what one person does.”
The Huskies started off the scoring quickly against HC, when senior Lauren Edelmeier potted her team-leading fifth goal on a penalty corner from junior Natalie Singelais at 3:15 in the first half.
Penalty corners have been the bread and butter of NU’s attack this season. The Huskies have earned 54 penalty corners while allowing just 17.
Holy Cross marched downfield and struck right back with a rebound goal by senior Jenna Cook at 4:04.
Senior Jay Quinn fired a shot that hit the post, but sophomore Ashley Webber was waiting to slap in the rebound for her fourth goal of the season at 9:35.
Webber has impressed the coaching staff with her inspired play. In her second season she is tied with Shean for second place on the team in goals with four.
With four goals in just five games, Webber is on pace to have one of the best underclassman seasons in Northeastern’s history.
“Ashley has very good skills and instincts, which are hard to teach,” Murtagh said. “She is going to have a great career here.”
The Husky attack continued as Shean tapped a bouncing ball past Holy Cross netminder Sony Kuhn to give the Huskies a 3-1 lead at 25:24 in the first period.
Thirty-one seconds later the Crusaders responded when sophomore Carolyn Connelly tipped in a shot by Cook to cut the lead to one heading into the half.
The Huskies outshot the Crusaders 18-6. Only three of HC’s shots were on goal, and all of them resulted in goals.
Sophomore goalkeeper Liz Centofanti has made 13 saves on 23 shots this season for a .565 save percentage. Last year’s goalkeeper, Diana Nelson, stopped 100 shots and allowed 22 goals in 2004 for an .820 save percentage.
“We need to make better decisions in front of the goaltenders,” Murtagh said. “We have to give them better chances.”
Just after the 44:11 mark Quinn blasted a shot that was deflected up and in by a Holy Cross defender to give the Huskies a two-goal cushion.
Shean potted another goal in traffic at 55:25 and five minutes later Quinn fired another in to put the Huskies on top 6-2.
Sophomore goalkeeper Megan Dorsi came in to replace Centofanti with six minutes remaining and allowed the final goal to Kristin Schulz of Holy Cross.
“We were a little disorganized [in front of the goalies],” Murtagh said. “We aren’t positioned the way we need to be. If we can do that, we can get [Centofanti] a better view of the ball.”
The next test for NU is an old rival: Boston University. The Terriers travel to Sweeney Field for the first time as a non-conference foe Friday at 2:30 p.m.
The Huskies have been a thorn in the side of BU, knocking them out of the America East playoffs in each of the past two seasons, including a 2-0 victory in the AE conference final that propelled NU into the NCAA tournament last year.
“It’s an important game for us,” Murtagh said. “It is more than just for fun.”
Since the Huskies are now members of the Colonial Athletic Association, the importance of the BU game has diminished, but don’t discount the value of good, old-fashioned bragging rights.
“There is always that healthy rivalry,” Murtagh said. “BU is up there among the top teams. It is important to see how we play.”
