WORCESTER, Mass. – After a weekend sweep of Saint Michael's College, the Assumption University women's ice hockey team took home three of the New England Women's Hockey Alliance weekly honors, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon.
Player of the Week
Kayla McGaffigan, Assumption
Junior | Forward | South Dennis, Mass.
The junior forward helped power the Greyhounds to a weekend sweep over NEWHA conference rival, Saint Michael's. She totaled four goals and two assists in two dominant conference wins. In Friday's 6-1 win, she recorded one goal and one assist, posting a plus-two on-ice rating. She also controlled possession at the faceoff dot, winning 69.6 percent of her draws (16-23). She followed that performance with a standout effort on Saturday, scoring three goals and adding another assist in a 9-0 shutout win. Her hat trick marked not only the first of her career, but also the first in program history. She recorded a plus-three on-ice rating on Saturday, contributing a power-play goal and a game-winning goal. Across the two-game series, the South Dennis, Mass. native tallied six points (4G, 2A) and a plus-five on-ice rating, helping lead the Greyhounds to a dominant NEWHA conference weekend.
Defensive Player of the Week
Annabel Ziskin, Assumption
Graduate | Defense | Smithtown, N.Y.
The graduate defender continued her outstanding two-way play this weekend to help the Greyhounds to their weekend series sweep of Saint Michael's. She recorded a total of three points (1G, 2A, and a plus-four on-ice rating over the weekend play. In Friday's 6-1 victory, she tallied an assist on the eventual game-winning goal early in the second period. She followed that up with another strong performance on Saturday, tallying her first goal of the season and adding another assist in the Greyhounds' dominant 9-0 shutout. She finished the weekend with a plus-four on-ice rating. Across the two games, the reigning NEWHA Defensive Player of the Week contributed on both ends of the ice as the Greyhounds outscored their opponent 15-1 on the weekend.
Rookie of the Week
Natalie Joiner, Assumption
Freshman | Forward | White Lakes, Mich.
The freshman forward receives her first weekly NEWHA recognition after her strong offensive contributions for the Greyhounds against Saint Michael's this weekend. She recorded three goals and two assists on the weekend, totaling five points. On Friday, she netted a power-play goal in the Greyhounds' 6-1 victory. She also won 73.3 percent of her faceoffs (11-15) on Friday. She followed that with a breakout performance on Saturday, recording her first collegiate multi-goal game, with two goals and two assists in a 9-0 win. Across the two-game series, she tallied 11 shots, won 17 of 27 draws taken, and finished with a plus-three on-ice rating. The White Lake, Mich. native established herself as a key contributor this weekend for the Greyhounds in a 2-0-0 NEWHA conference weekend.
Up Next
- Women's Ice Hockey (14-13-3, 14-7-3 NEWHA) looks to finish the regular season strong and improve playoff positioning, as they take on Saint Anselm College in a home-and-home series beginning on Friday, February 13th at 6:10 pm at the Worcester Ice Center.
--
For continuing coverage of Assumption University Athletics, visit assumptiongreyhounds.com and follow the Greyhounds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
