ORONO, Maine - The University of Maine's women's ice hockey team is set to begin their 2024-25 season with a pair of non-conference games against the #10 ranked Quinnipiac Bobcats on Friday, Sept. 27 at 6:00 P.M. and Saturday, Sept. 28 at 3:00 P.M. at Alfond Arena.

Friday's game will mark the first game in the history of women's ice hockey being a ticketed sport at UMaine. Tickets are available for purchase online (GoBlackBears.com/Tickets, via phone (207-581-BEAR) or in person at the Alfond Arena.

FRIDAY GAME INFORMATION
DATE: Friday, Sept. 27, 2024
TIME: 6:00 P.M.
SITE: Alfond Arena
LIVE VIDEO  |  LIVE STATS   |  LIVE TWEETS

SATURDAY GAME INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
TIME: 3:00 P.M.
SITE: Alfond Arena
LIVE VIDEO |  LIVE STATS   |  LIVE TWEETS

Exhibition-Game Recap:

• The Black Bears faced UNH on Sunday in an exhibition contest that ended in a 2-2 tie. 
• Sophomore forward Mikayla Boarder scored both goals for Maine. Assists came from Sam Morrison, Brenna Curl and Lily Fetch.
• All three goaltenders saw a period with Kiia Lahtinen making 15 saves on 17 shots, Madisyn Ryan stopping all five shots she faced, and Julia Bachetti stopping seven for seven.
• Maine outshot the Wildcats 45 to 29.
• In the shootout, Elise Morphy scored for Maine, but UNH ended up with the shootout-win.

Notes on the Black Bears:

• Head coach Molly Engstrom and assistant Kirsti Hussey enter their third season together, with a new assistant by their side in McKenna Wesloh.
• The Black Bears return 17 players from last season, including blue-liner captain Elise Morphy (2-12-14), while adding seven new players to the mix.
• Mira Seregély (6-8-14) a senior forward from Hungary returns after having three straight seasons of points in double-digits. The other four returnees who reached double digits in points were sophomores Lily Fetch (3-8-11) and Sam Morrison (4-6-10), senior Alyssa Wruble (5-5-10) and junior Ava Stevenson (2-9-11).
• Sam Morrison ended her freshman year on a four-game point streak, two of which were multi-point games.
• The freshman class includes two goaltenders (Madisyn Ryan, Kiia Lahtinen), two defenders (Kendall Sundby, Brenna Curl), and three forwards (Frederikke Foss, Stephanie Jacob, Gracie Hanson).
• Two transfers join the Black Bears from the WCHA - Dani Brunette (UMD) and Jaidyn Britt (SCSU). 
• Returning goaltender Julia Bachetti, who boasted a .908 save % and 2.09 GAA last season earned Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors twice (Nov 20, Dec 4), and ended with two shutouts. Bachetti led the goaltenders in total saves last season with 357.
• Maine was voted to finish 8th in the Coaches Preseason poll this year.
• The Black Bears finished the 2023-24 seventh in Hockey East with a record of 15-18-2, (11-14-2 HE).

Scouting the Bobcats:

• The Bobcats were ranked #10 nationally in the preseason poll before dropping their exhibition game to #9 UConn on Friday. The 2-1 loss came in overtime. 
• Last season the Bobcats ended 25-11-1, ranking fifth overall in ECAC.
• The Bobcats only return 11 players from last season.
• Kendall Cooper returns to the Bobcats for her fifth season, having played in 121 games on the blue line in her career and tallying 33 points last year.
• Sophomore Kahlen Lamarche returns after scoring 34 points last year.
• Senior Maya Labad returns to the group after scoring 27 points last season, 13 of which were goals, as she is the leading goal-scoring returner.
• Maddy Samoskevich returns for her fifth year with 130 games under her belt, including 21 points last season.
• Kaley Doyle, a goaltender transfer, started in 29 games last year for Brown holding a 2.25 GAA and .928 save percentage.
• Six transfers and eight first-years make up the newcomer mix.

Previous Matchup Facts: 

• The overall series record between Maine and Quinnipiac is 20-14-2 in favor of the Bobcats. The series record dates back to 2001.
• Lily Fetch scored her first career goal against Quinnipiac last season with Ava Stevenson earning an assist. Maine fell to the Bobcats last season by scores of 0-3 and 1-5.

-UMaine-