Women's Ice Hockey Hits the Road for First NEWHA Series of the Year

Friday, October 9

Worcester, MA

7:00 PM

Sacred Heart

Assumption University

Photo by: Morgan Stewart

Women's Ice Hockey Hits the Road for First NEWHA Series of the Year

10/8/2026 9:47:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey

Game one is set for Friday at 7:00 pm, and game two is set for Saturday at 7:00 pm

By: Joe Verrillo

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's ice hockey team is set to hit the road for a weekend series against New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) opponent, Assumption. The Pioneers will face the Greyhounds in back-to-back games, with game one scheduled for Friday, October 9, at 7:00 PM, followed by game two on Saturday, October 10, at 7:00 PM.

Top Headlines:

The Pioneers enter their first NEWHA series of the season following a non-conference home-and-home against Providence College. After an up-and-down year in conference play during the 2025-26 season, Sacred Heart will look to establish some early momentum. The Pioneers showed what they were capable of last season, putting together a stretch of seven consecutive conference wins. They will look to bring that same level of play into the start of NEWHA action this weekend.
Bria Holm enters the second series of the season following a relatively quiet opening weekend against Providence. Holm recorded her first assist of the season and, despite not finding the back of the net, generated a few scoring opportunities with three shots across the series. With the Pioneers' first NEWHA matchup of the season on deck, Holm will look to make an impact after finding plenty of success against conference opponents just one year ago.
Sara Gerdel made an immediate impact for the Pioneers in her first collegiate game. On her first shot, Gerdel found the back of the net off assists from fellow first years Amanda Ranaudo and Katie Downey. The trio provided a spark for the Pioneers, and they will look to carry that momentum into the upcoming series against Assumption.
Izzy Chaput returned to the ice fully healthy after an injury-plagued 2025-26 season. Chaput immediately made an impact, showcasing what the Pioneers missed last season. On five shots, she was able to find the back of the net in the opening game of the 2026-27 campaign. Her offensive pressure helped generate opportunities for the Pioneers throughout the contest and marked a strong start to the season.
Barbora Dalecka delivered a strong debut for the Pioneers in this past series against Providence. Despite allowing three goals, Dalecka kept the Pioneers in the game from start to finish. She faced 41 shots on goal, turning aside 38 of them, while holding the Friars scoreless through the first two periods. Dalecka also stood tall on the penalty kill, making four saves during a single Providence power play and totaling seven saves across four Friar power-play opportunities.
Ella Holm also put together a solid opening weekend for the Pioneers. While she did not find the back of the net or generate many shots, Holm made her presence felt in other areas of the game. She won 14 faceoffs in each contest, bringing her weekend total to 28 wins on 43 attempts. Defensively, Holm also tallied four blocked shots. As she begins to create more offensive opportunities, Holm has the potential to become a strong all-around presence for the Pios.

History vs Assumption:

This weekend's series will mark the 15th and 16th all-time meetings between the two programs. The Pioneers hold the advantage in the series with an 8-5-1 overall record.
The two teams last met at the end of the 2025-26 season, splitting a home-and-home series. Sacred Heart claimed the opening game before falling in the series finale at Martire Family Arena.

On Assumption:

Assumption enters this weekend's series with a 2-0-1 overall record and a 2-0-0 mark in conference play. The Greyhounds opened the season at home against Saint Michael's, earning a 2-1 victory in game one before putting together a dominant 6-2 win in game two. Assumption then hit the road to take on Holy Cross, where the Greyhounds battled to a 2-2 tie.
Through the first three games of the season, the Greyhounds have averaged 3.3 goals per game, while allowing just 1.7 goals per contest, a recipe that has led to their strong start. Assumption has also controlled the shot totals, averaging 54 shots per game compared to just 15.3 for its opponents. The Greyhounds' ability to generate offensive opportunities while limiting chances on the other end has played a major role in their early-season success.
Through the three games played, the Greyhounds have three players tied with two goals apiece. Alaina Whitesell, Annie Forker, and Haven Mills. All three have combined for 20 shots. The three have been a dangerous offensive trio for opposing defenses.
Along with multiple players recording two goals, the Greyhounds also have four players with two assists and one with three assists. Assumption has done a strong job of getting multiple players involved offensively and moving the puck effectively throughout the attacking zone. Through three games, the Greyhounds have already totaled 16 assists, showcasing the depth and balance of their offense.
Through the first three games, the Greyhounds have started a different goaltender in each contest. Freshman Taylor Thompson earned the start in their lone game against Holy Cross, allowing just two goals in 65 minutes of action. Thompson made 23 saves and finished the game with a .920 save percentage. Putting together that type of performance against a tough Hockey East opponent is impressive for any goaltender, especially a freshman making her first career start. It remains to be seen who will get the start against the Pioneers this weekend, but Sacred Heart cannot take any of Assumption's goaltenders lightly.

Up Next:

Following the two-game road series, the Pioneers will return for a home-and-home series against NEWHA foe LIU. Game one is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at Martire Family Arena, with puck drop set for 2:00 p.m. The series will then shift to LIU on Saturday, October 17, for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.