Fairfield, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team is hitting the road this weekend as they travel to Saint Anselm College to continue New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) play. Puck drop is set for 4:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, and 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 1.
 
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• The Pioneers head into their fourth NEWHA series of the season holding a 3-3 conference record. The Pioneers are coming off a statement weekend against Saint Michael's as they scored 12 goals in two games. On Friday, they won 6-1 and on Saturday, they won 6-0.
• Sophomore forward Addie Bowlby is coming off a phenomenal weekend. Bowlby led the offensive surge with a hat trick on Friday night, marking the first of her collegiate career. In just one game, she surpassed her goal total from her entire first season. The sophomore forward is showing tremendous growth and looks poised to continue making a major impact this season.
• The Pioneers have showcased impressive depth and balance to start the season. Through eight games, 14 different players have found the back of the net. This past weekend alone, nine Pioneers scored while the team combined for 15 assists. With a roster stacked with talent, Sacred Heart has made it a priority to get everyone involved offensively. The ability for any player to make an impact at any moment keeps opposing teams constantly on their heels.
• Senior goaltender Jillian Petruno has really found her footing. This weekend, through two games, Petruno had 44 saves while only giving up one goal. On Saturday, she tallied her first shutout of the year. She truly has been a staple to Sacred Heart's success thus far, and she will look to continue that this weekend.
• Senior forward Alyssa Antonakis has been a difference maker all season. Through the team's first eight games, she leads the Pioneers in +/- at +7. She has scored two goals and assisted on three in the seven games she has played. She has also taken 16 shots, showing herself to be a consistent offensive threat. Antonakis will look to continue her great play as the weekend comes along.

Last Time Out vs Saint Anselm

• The Pioneers and the Hawks last met in the semifinals of the 2025 NEWHA Tournament, where Sacred Heart hosted Saint Anselm and earned a decisive 3-0 victory to advance to the championship. 
• Despite the 3-0 final score, the game felt much closer than the numbers suggested. The Hawks came out strong, out shooting the Pioneers 20-11 in the opening period. However, Sacred Heart made their chances count as Bria Holm capitalized early off an assist from Isabella Chaput to give the Pioneers the lead. The second period was the only frame where Sacred Heart held the shot advantage, outshooting Saint Anselm 17-12. That momentum carried over as Sami Bowlby found the back of the net to double the lead, 2-0. In the third, Grayson Limke put the finishing touch on the night, extending the advantage to three. From there, the Pioneer defense stood tall and held strong to secure the shutout victory.

History vs Saint Anselm

• This weekend will mark the 46th and 47th times the Pioneers and the Hawks will meet. The Pioneers' all record stands at 13-27-5. Recently, Sacred Heart has had its number, and it will look to continue its winning streak this weekend. 
• Both teams are very familiar with each other and will look to establish an early lead.

On Saint Anselm

• Saint Anselm is a team with a plethora of talent, so despite their overall 3-5 record, they have been a good team, especially in conference play, with their current record at 3-1.
• Through their first four conference games, they have scored a lot of goals. They scored seven goals in a two-game series against Saint Michael's and six goals in two games against Stonehill. They have had 11 different players score goals and already have 30 assists on the year. They share the puck very well.
• The Hawks have been a very steady faceoff team. They win 49.6% of faceoffs and have won 258 compared to losing 262.
• A player to look out for is senior forward, Brooklyn Schneiderhan. Through eight games, she already has 11 points on the year, five goals and six assists. She has also taken 30 shots, proving to be a consistent offensive threat.
• A defender to look out for is first-year Avery Wilson. Wilson has been a threat on both ends of the ice so far this season. She already has 19 blocked shots while also tallying three assists so far.
• First year, Kayla Czukoski has been the lead goaltender so far for the Hawks this season. Through eight games, she has a save percentage of 92.9%. She also has a total of 327 saves.