First-year Robert Morris goaltender Arielle DeSmet was named the College Hockey America Rookie of the Week on Monday after making her collegiate debut over the weekend.
DeSmet, who hails from Charlotte, Vermont, made her first start on Saturday in the Colonials’ 3-1 victory over RPI at RMU Island Sports Center.
She stopped eight of nine RPI shots to get the win and also earned her first career assist on Natalie Marcuzzi’s third-period goal.
“She looked very confident and very comfortable,” head coach Paul Colontino said in a press release. “She’s been working incredibly hard in practice, so I think she earned everything she got.”
DeSmet got the nod on Saturday after senior Lauren Bailey started the Colonials first five games. The first-year netminder has a 1.00 goals-against average and an .889 save percentage.
“It feels great just to have the first one under my belt,” DeSmet said in a press release. “[Bailey] gave me a lot of encouragement … and to have that support from a senior was really nice going into my first game.”
Robert Morris will start CHA play this weekend when the Colonials make the trip up Interstate 79 to face the Mercyhurst Lakers in a two-game series. Faceoff on Friday will be a 6 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m.
Mercyhurst ended RMU’s 2017-18 season with a 5-3 victory in the 2018 CHA Tournament. The two teams have combined to win the last three conference tournament titles, with RMU winning in 2017 and Mercyhurst in 2016.
