Indiana club hockey took home two wins against the University of Cincinnati this weekend at Queen City Sportsplex.
The club won its evening game on Friday, Sept. 29, with a score of 9-2. Forwards Nicholas Castracane and Colin Ruffner, a sophomore and a freshman respectively, scored within the first three minutes of the game, with Ruffner scoring his first collegiate goal.
Junior forward Ithan DeLorenzo scored on a breakaway with seven minutes and 46 seconds left in the first period. Junior forward Aidan Simoneau scored 33 seconds later off a pass from freshman winger Ben Rosenberg, increasing the Hoosiers’ lead to 4-0. Goaltender Sammy Bilis kept a clean sheet throughout the first period.
Cincinnati began the second period playing on a two-man advantage, with freshman Zach Hardy and junior Matthew McKay, both defensemen, in the penalty box for Indiana. The Hoosiers kept their clean sheet through the penalty times for both defensemen.
With 16:19 left in the second period, Rosenberg scored his first collegiate goal. He scored again less than 10 minutes later after the puck deflected off his body, making the score 6-0.
Cincinnati freshman forward Alexander Brown scored the Bearcats’ first goal of the game with 54 seconds left in the second period. Indiana forward Ruffner completed his brace with 10 seconds left, ending the period with the Hoosiers leading 7-1.
Simoneau scored the first goal of the third period with 15:16 left on the clock. The junior forward from Toronto scored four times this weekend and leads the club in goals this season.
Zachary Gretta, a freshman Bearcat forward, scored for Cincinnati shortly after, trailing behind the Hoosiers at 8-2. Indiana sophomore winger Luke Slaven scored the final goal of the game, settling the final score of 9-2.
Indiana won their second game of the series 8-5 on Saturday, Sept. 30. Junior forward Will Gerami scored the first goal of the game with nine minutes left in the first period. Freshman Nathan Chinni saw his first start of the season playing as goaltender for Indiana.
The Hoosiers conceded two goals within the first period, but tied it up with a goal from Rosenburg. The club started the second period 2-2.
Gerami scored again while Indiana was on a two-man advantage, but the second period saw Indiana lose some traction as Cincinnati led 5-3.
Simoneau scored twice in the third period, eliminating the Bearcats’ lead. Gerami then earned his hat trick with less than five minutes left in the game, giving the Hoosiers a 6-5 lead.
DeLorenzo and junior forward Andrew Chambers scored in the final four minutes of the game, securing an 8-5 win and completing Indiana’s sweep.
Indiana will play its first home game this upcoming weekend Oct. 6 and 7 at Frank Southern Ice Arena. The Hoosiers will play Ohio State, a club they won two games against last season.
Follow reporter Molly Gregory (@mollygregory22) for updates throughout the Indiana club hockey season.
