LAST SHIFT: Princeton University women’s hockey player Jane Kuehl controls the puck in recent action. Last Thursday, senior forward and assistant captain Kuehl contributed an assist in a losing cause as Princeton fell 4-1 to the University of Connecticut in an NCAA regional semifinal clash at Penn State. The Tigers ended the winter with a 23-11 record. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
Coming into its NCAA regional semifinal clash against the University of Connecticut last Thursday, the Princeton University women’s hockey team was looking to keep the Husky defense busy.
“They play a little of a structured 1-2-2, our biggest thing was not trying to pass the puck cross ice through the neutral zone because that is what they wanted,” said Princeton head coach Courtney Kessel. “We knew we were facing a hot goalie [Tia Chan], we had to get a bunch of shots on net.”
The Tigers executed that game plan in the first period of the game played at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pa., as they peppered Chan with a barrage of shots.
“It was 14-3 and they shot the fourth puck and it went in, so I think,” said Kessel. “It was unfortunate but I feel like you see that all of the time when a team is just all over another team and then the puck winds up going in your net.”
Trailing 1-0 heading into the second period, Princeton knotted the game at 1-1 early in the frame on a goal by freshman forward Riley Sorokan.
“It was to continue to do what we were doing, we were breaking pucks out really well, our tracking to transition was fantastic and we were getting pucks to the net,” said Kessel, reflecting on her message at the first intermission. “We just had to find a way to get a gritty goal and we found one. We missed some great opportunities that should have been in the back of the net.”
UConn responded with a goal less than five minutes later and then tallied two unanswered goals in the third period to earn a 4-1 victory.
“I think some days are your night and some aren’t,” said Kessel, whose team ended the winter with a 23-11 record as it made the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2019-20 season. “I am just so proud of the 60 minutes that we played. We were relentless, we never gave up even when we were down 4-1 at the end with that empty net goal. We just continued to press, unfortunately we didn’t come up on the better side.”
While the loss stung, Kessel focused on what the team achieved this winter as she addressed her players after the game.
“The postgame message was let’s hold our heads high and be proud of how far we have come this year,” said Kessel. “We made the national tournament, we won the ECAC regular season title, we made it to the ECAC semis. There is just so much to be proud of on the ice. Off the ice there us also much to be proud of. I just really think this team really came together. They cared about each other and showed up for each other each and every day. That was my goal heading in — how can we create a little family within our team and we really did that.”
Kessel, who served as an assistant coach at Princeton from 2019-23 before returning this winter to take the helm of the program, credited the team’s seniors with setting a positive tone.
“I spoke to the leadership and how it comes from our leaders and seniors,” said Kessel, whose senior group included Jane Kuehl, Emerson O’Leary, Katherine Khramtsov, Taylor Hyland, and Issy Wunder. “We can preach this family as coaches but it is really them that run with it within the room. It just speaks to Issy Wunder’s leadership. She is such a fantastic leader, probably one of the best I have seen at this age. So hats off to her and to all of our seniors, being willing to do whatever role they needed to do all year. It was just special having them as freshmen and then being able to have them as seniors.”
Looking ahead to next season, the Tigers will feature a battle-tested defensive unit as they aim to build on this season’s success.
“I am really excited about our d-corps with all of them returning, that is important,” said Kessel, who will welcome back such star defenders as junior Maggie Johnson, sophomore Rosie Klein, freshman Megan Healy, junior Gabby Kim, junior Teja Gatfield, and freshman Ellie Dimatos. “Our defenders are tremendous and they were tremendous all year. That is really exciting. With Uma [Corniea] coming back in net, you have a chance to win every game and that is what you want from your goalie.”
At the offensive end, sophomore star Mackenzie Alexander (22 goals, 20 assists in 2025-26), sophomore Angelina DiGirolamo (6 goals, 7 assists), and Sorokan (8 goals, 17 assists) should provide firepower.
“We are going to miss Issy, she put in 20-something goals this year and we will miss that,” said Kessel. “The way Riley finished the year is so exciting. Mackenzie is coming back. I think we can get more out of Angelina. With some of our incoming class, there is some real firepower.”
Kessel, for her part, relished coming back to Princeton. “We have a little family within our staff and that trickles down to the group,” said Kessel. “We spend a lot of time together and we really enjoy being around each other. It doesn’t even feel like work. It is exciting that we get to show up every day and coach this game we love. It has been absolutely amazing.”