Penn State Women’s Clinches Second Straight CHA Championship With 1-0 Victory Over Mercyhurst
Penn State women’s hockey (22-12-3, 15-4-2 CHA) won the CHA Championship for the second year in a row with a 1-0 victory over Mercyhurst (20-17-1, 14-7-0 CHA).
A lone goal by Mya Vaslet in the first period and Katie DeSa’s superb goaltending made the difference in the game.
How It Happened
Nittany Lion head coach Jeff Kampersal gave sophomore Katie Dea the start in the net for the game while the Lakers had Ena Nystrom between the pipes.
Penn State started off fast with three shots on goal within three minutes, but Nystrom blocked each one. On a breakaway, Mya Vaslet took the puck into the back of the net herself to score the first goal of the championship.
After a no-call hit on Alyssa Machado, Mercyhurst drew a hooking call, leaving Penn State to go on the power play. However, the Lakers killed it, leaving Penn State with a one-goal lead.
The Nittany Lions took a one-score advantage going into the locker room after the first period, and Penn State had outshot Mercyhurst 16-5.
As expected, Mercyhurst came out strong out of the gates, but DeSa made a major full-body save to protect Penn State’s lead.
Within the first half of the second period, Penn State extended its shots on goal to 10 while Mercyhurst only added one more.
The Nittany Lions kept attacking Nystrom’s net but had nothing to show for it after 15 minutes of the second period.
The second period remained scoreless in favor of Penn State. The Nittany Lions outshot the Lakers 39-9 heading into the third period.
The final period started off with a battle for dominance between the Nittany Lions and the Lakers.
The score remained the same halfway through the final frame.
The Lakers repeatedly attacked Penn State’s net, but DeSa protected it with all she had, allowing her to record a shutout in the CHA Championship.
With a minute left, Mercyhurst pulled its goaltender, trying one last time to tie the game.
Mercyhurst’s efforts didn’t matter as the clock ran down, and Penn State became the back-to-back CHA Champion.
Takeaways
- Katie DeSa dominated the game, capturing a shutout in the championship game. She continues to be a difference-maker late in the season for the Nittany Lions.
- The offense didn’t capitalize on every scoring opportunity. With 46 shots on goal and only one conversion, its accuracy needs to be improved upon heading into the NCAA Tournament.
- Tessa Janecke had a silent game. Upon entering the national tournament, she will have to step up to keep the team’s campaign rolling.
What’s Next?
The Nittany Lions received an automatic bid to the 2024 NCAA Women’s Hockey Tournament. The tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, March 14.
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