Heading into the first game of the 2025-2026 season, it was expected that women’s hockey’s small 21-woman roster would have to quickly incorporate its six freshmen — and adapt to gaps in the lineup — in order to successfully compete with teams who have already had several games to find their groove.
Cornell’s opening test against Boston College (3-3, 2-0 Hockey East) would not only prove that the Red’s returners were as strong as ever, but it would also highlight the immense potential of its new recruits.
In a 3-0 shutout, Cornell made a powerful statement, earning a morale-boosting win and beginning the season 1-0 while showcasing the depth of its squad.
“I thought that was an awesome first win for us,” said junior goaltender Annelies Bergmann.
“No matter what the score was, we played with the 0-0 mentality. It was just super fun to see this group have fun out there and playing with all of our best friends.”
Senior forward Avi Adam came in hot for Cornell, taking a shot that dinged the Eagles’ crossbar. Minutes later, Bergmann was tested by Boston College’s Ava Thomas in a successfully defended one-on-none opportunity.
The Red’s first goal of the 2025-2026 season came from a surprising source: eight minutes in, junior forward Delaney Fleming funneled the puck to freshman forward Shannon Pearson. With a precise shot past BC goaltender Grace Campbell, Pearson logged her first collegiate tally and put Cornell on the board.
“It was definitely a lot of fun having all my teammates there supporting me,” Pearson said. “The team has been great, everybody's been so welcoming. They're always there for you, and they have [the freshmen’s] backs.”
Junior forward Karel Prefontaine gave the Red another close call, with a near miss that caused a scramble behind the net but didn’t make it in.
With nine seconds left in the opening period, Bergmann protected the score, stopping a weak shot by Olivia Maffeo and the follow-up by Alaina Dunn. Cornell left the ice with a 1-0 lead, an uplifting start to the game and the season. Despite the imbalance in goals, the teams had a relatively balanced offensive output during the first 20 minutes, each logging 10 shots on goal, though the Red took seven of 14 faceoffs.
“Looking back at the start, I thought we were okay, but you could tell it was our first game,” said head coach Doug Derraugh ’91. “[We were] getting the nerves out a little bit, passing was a little off. A few missed assignments here and there. We really came into our own in the second period.”
The Red strongly controlled possession coming out of the locker room, putting up 20 shots to the Eagles’ two and doubling Boston’s shots on goal, 24-12, in the first half of the period alone.
The Eagles received the first penalty of the game three minutes into the second period with too many players on the ice, giving Cornell the power play. Boston stayed strong, killing the extra-skater opportunity.
The Red didn’t have to wait much longer for a successful attempt. Cornell’s offensive onslaught bore fruit when junior defender Abby Thibodeau fired a shot that, tipped by junior forward Beatrice Perron-Roy, awarded the Red its second goal.
The momentum continued. Exactly two minutes later, junior defender Piper Grober netted a goal from almost the same spot Thibodeau had shot from just moments prior, putting the Red up 3-0 with five minutes left in the period.
Perron-Roy, who assisted Grober’s shot, earned two points within two minutes.
“People just see the game, but there's a lot of practice,” Perron-Roy said. “As a team, we work really hard in the preseason, so it's just nice to see that we could put our effort to work and get a win.”
The period’s scoring dominance reflected in the numbers; Cornell took 32 shots and 20 shots on goal over 20 minutes while holding Boston to eight shots, just three of which were shots on goal. Campbell made a valiant 27 saves across the first two periods.
Unlike in the first period, Cornell kept momentum into the break.
The Red received its second power play three minutes into the final period, but wasn’t able to finish. Cornell hunkered down for the remaining time, holding onto the 3-0 lead until the end of the uneventful third period.
“[In the] third period, [Boston College] pushed back hard, as we expected,” Derraugh said. “We got some big saves there from [Bergmann] in that period. I thought the discipline was good today. Obviously, not taking any penalties is always huge.”
Thomas generated the most chances for Boston — the freshman has been a standout for the Eagles during a rebuilding period. Cornell saw significant contributions from the blueline, with Grober and senior defender Grace Dwyer proving a formidable pair, taking seven and four shots on goal respectively.
“We said it from the beginning of the season this year that we were going to need our defense to contribute offensively to have success,” Derraugh said. “We're not a one line team, or a one-superstar team offensively, so we need to have contributions from our defense.”
In a fast paced game, Bergmann and Campbell both held down the fort in net. Despite allowing three goals, Campbell maintained a respectable .926 save percentage as well as stopping some dangerous chances. The Red’s defense held strong and limited many opportunities, and Bergmann's 15th career shutout helped cap off an impressive team effort in a dominant opening performance for The Red.
Cornell hosts Boston College again on Saturday, with puck drop slated for 3 p.m. After the game, two women’s hockey alumni will be honored for their induction into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame, and last year’s ECAC Championship and NCAA Tournament banners will be unveiled.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Alexis Rogers is the sports editor on the 143rd editorial board. She is in the Class of 2028 in the College of Arts & Sciences, and she can be reached at arogers@cornellsun.com.
