Lady icer win on road

The Lady Icers proved that they are going to be a team to beat, knocking off Chatham College and the Harrisburg Rockets in a two-game road trip.

After proving they could win in the ice pavilion, the Lady Icers ventured outside State College for the first time.

They showed they can win on the road as well.

The Lady Icers swept their first-ever road trip Saturday and Sunday with wins over Chatham College and the Harrisburg Rockettes. Penn State beat Chatham, 5-2, and Harrisburg, 5-1, and is now 3-0 this season.

On Saturday night, Chatham's Lisa Hinkelman opened the scoring near the middle of the first period. Teammate Shannon Nelson added a second-period goal, but that was all the stingy Lady Icer defense allowed.

Penn State's defense dominated the game, allowing Chatham only 18 shots on goal. The Lady Icers had 26 shots on goal.

The strong team defense made Ellen Zajko's second hat trick of the season enough to beat Chatham. The freshman forward had four goals and an assist in the Lady Icers' last game, a 5-4 defeat of Harrisburg on Feb. 1.

Ellen Bradley and Rachel Rieker had the Lady Icers' other goals.

On Sunday night the Lady Icers traveled to the Susquehanna Ice House for a rematch with the Rockettes.

Rieker had three goals and Zajko and Bradley each contributed a goal.

Defense again was the deciding factor, as the Rockettes managed only 11 shots on goal. According to some Lady Icers, the game was less physical than the bruising contest between the teams the first time. Penn State's plan was to beat Harrisburg at its own game of tough physical hockey.

"Our goal was to out-muscle them," Rieker said. "We definitely dominated the game. We knew Harrisburg was ready for us. We wanted to be ready for them."

Rieker, who now has four goals this season, has not only been an offensive force but also an emotional leader.

"She brings a lot of energy to the ice," Bradley said. "She's on my line and gets us fired up every time we're out there."

Kathy Beckford and Missy Werner split time in goal for the third consecutive game and will continue to share goaltending responsibilities.

The Lady Icers are playing their first season, and they are very pleased with their early success.

"I'm thrilled with it," Bradley said. "We've come together as a team really well."

Zajko said the team, which only has three members who have played competitive ice hockey before the season, has shown tremendous improvement thus far.

"We're passing a lot better and our skating is always improving," she said.

Like the Lady Icers, Chatham and Harrisburg are in their first year of competition. Harrisburg is a women's traveling club team.