{"id":53105,"date":"2013-10-02T00:00:49","date_gmt":"2013-10-02T05:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/?p=53105"},"modified":"2020-08-24T20:54:14","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T01:54:14","slug":"merychurst-should-prevail-in-cha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2013\/10\/02\/merychurst-should-prevail-in-cha\/","title":{"rendered":"Merychurst should prevail in CHA"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Unauthorized<\/a>
Molly Byrne and Caroline Luczak of Mercyhurst. Photo by Ryan Coleman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

For the first time in three years, the lineup of teams in College Hockey America looks exactly the same as it did the year before. How long that will last remains to be seen, but at least for now, the rumors all involve teams joining the CHA, not leaving it.<\/p>\n

“For the women’s game, you just want it to grow as big as possible,” Mercyhurst coach Michael Sisti said. “You want the number of teams to grow, the competition level to grow, certainly the attendance to grow, and all those things may lead to more games in the NCAA tournament, more games on TV So it’s a work in progress, but hopefully, things are going in the right direction.”<\/p>\n

The league has stabilized at the critical number of six teams, and it is his understanding that the conference automatic bid will be awarded as early as 2015.<\/p>\n

“It’s been an interesting journey, but things are highly competitive now, which is what you want,” said Sisti, the only coach who has watched the entire history of the league unfold, because his is the only team that has been a league member from the beginning.<\/p>\n

“Last year with the playoffs, a couple of those [best-of-three] series, one went to three games, which was really exciting,” Sisti said. “The rivalries are building and some really nice traditions are growing.”<\/p>\n

It is almost tempting to pick a different champion just to mix things up and honor the league’s tradition of change.<\/p>\n

But who? Syracuse lost its top two scorers. Robert Morris is inexperienced in net. RIT graduated its veteran core. Lindenwood’s goalie can steal games, but it is another thing to steal a title. Penn State just has too far to go in one year.<\/p>\n

I guess that leaves Mercyhurst. The Lakers have actually had to fend off a late challenge the last couple of seasons, but I don’t see it coming down to the wire this year. Mercyhurst has too much pop at the top of the line chart that the others can’t match. The Lakers have won all 12 CHA season titles, and 13 shouldn’t prove unlucky for the gang from Erie. It’s just as well, because this is the only league I ever manage to predict correctly.<\/p>\n

Click on the team name for a more detailed preview.<\/p>\n

Mercyhurst Lakers<\/strong><\/a>
\nProjected Finish:<\/strong> First
\nCHA Coaches Poll:<\/strong> First
\nPrevious Season:<\/strong> First, 17-3-0, 34 points
\nKey Departures:<\/strong> Stephanie Ciampa, Lauren Jones, Jenna Hendrikx, Stephanie DeSutter, Gina Buquet, Kelsey Welch
\nArrivals: Taylor Accursi, Sara Besseling, Paige Horton, Brianna Kennelly, Jillian Skinner, Megan Whiddon
\nKey Players:<\/strong> Christine Bestland (28-44-72), Jenna Dingeldein (15-28-43), Emily Janiga (19-22-41)<\/p>\n

Robert Morris Colonials<\/strong><\/a>
\nProjected Finish:<\/strong> Second
\nCHA Coaches Poll:<\/strong> Third
\nPrevious Season:<\/strong> Tie for third, 9-10-1, 19 points
\nKey Departures:<\/strong> Kristen DiCiocco, Delayne Brian, Kelsey Thomas, Cobina Delaney, Jamie Joslin, Dayna Newsom
\nArrivals:<\/strong> Carley Catherine, Jessica Dodds, Maeve Garvey, Brittany Howard, Mackenzie Johnston, Tia Kipfer, Mikaela Lowater, Rikki Meilleur
\nKey Players:<\/strong> Rebecca Vint (16-17-33), Thea Imbrogno (11-12-23), Kristen Richards (9-14-23)<\/p>\n

Syracuse Orange<\/strong><\/a>
\nProjected Finish:<\/strong> Third
\nCHA Coaches Poll:<\/strong> Second
\nPrevious Season:<\/strong> Second, 13-6-1, 27 points
\nKey Departures:<\/strong> Holly Carrie-Mattimoe, Shiann Darkangelo, Jacquie Greco
\nArrivals:<\/strong> Morgan Blank, Erin Brand, Eleanor Haines, Larissa Martyniuk, Laurence Porlier, Elizabeth Scala, Heather Schwarz, Jessica Sibley
\nKey Players:<\/strong> Nicole Ferrara (10-14-24), Melissa Piacentini (9-14-23), Kallie Billadeau (1.56 goals against average (GAA), .940 save percentage)<\/p>\n

Rochester Institute of Technology Tigers<\/strong><\/a>
\nProjected Finish:<\/strong> Fourth
\nCHA Coaches Poll:<\/strong> Fourth
\nPrevious Season:<\/strong> Tie for third, 7-8-5, 19 points
\nKey Departures:<\/strong> Tenecia Hiller, Kim Schlattman, Ariane Yokoyama, Kristina Moss, Ellesha Fortuna, Danielle Read, Laura Chamberlain
\nArrivals:<\/strong> assistant coach Matt Woodard, Cassie Clayton, Lauren Klein, Brittany St. James, Lindsey Stenason, Brooke Stoddart, Mackenzie Stone, Taylor Thurston, Dakota Waites, Caitlin Wallace
\nKey Players:<\/strong> Kourtney Kunichika (9-15-24), Erin Zach (4-13-17), Ali Binnington (1.93 GAA, .928 save percentage)<\/p>\n

Lindenwood Lions<\/a>
\nProjected Finish: <\/strong>Fifth
\nCHA Coaches Poll: <\/strong>Fifth
\nPrevious Season: <\/strong>Fifth, 7-10-3, 17 points
\nKey Departures:\u00a0 <\/strong>Allysson Arcibal, Brett Lobreau, Samantha Redick, Taylor Fairchild
\nArrivals:, Carrie Atkinson, Morgan Church, Holly Dietzler, Leah Elledge, Anja Kadijevic, Sarah McGall, Alexis Molotky, Katie Nokelby, Saville Pickar, Nicole Rash
\nKey Players: <\/strong>Alison Wickenheiser (12-12-24), Alyssa West (7-12-19), Nicole Hensley (3.42 GAA, .922 save percentage)<\/p>\n

Penn State Nittany Lions<\/strong><\/a>
\nProjected Finish:<\/strong> Sixth
\nCHA Coaches Poll:<\/strong> Sixth
\nPrevious Season:<\/strong> Sixth, 1-17-2, 4 points
\nKey Departures:<\/strong> Taylor McGee, Katie Zinn
\nArrivals:<\/strong> Laura Bowman, Sarah Nielsen, Amy Peterson, Kelly Seward
\nKey Players:<\/strong> Nicole Paniccia (3.11 GAA, .928 save percentage), Shannon Yoxheimer (14-17-31), Taylor Gross (7-15-22)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 For the first time in three years, the lineup of teams in College Hockey America looks exactly the same as it did the year before. How long that will last remains to be seen, but at least for now, the rumors all involve teams joining the CHA, not leaving it. “For the women’s game, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":121397,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[666],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMerychurst should prevail in CHA - College Hockey | USCHO.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u00a0 For the first time in three years, the lineup of teams in College Hockey America looks exactly the same as it did the year before. 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