STICKING WITH IT: Princeton University women’s hockey goalie Jen Olnowich sticks aside a shot in recent action. Last Friday, senior Olnowich made 22 saves to help Princeton defeat Union 2-1 in overtime. The Tigers, who lost 4-3 to RPI on Saturday in moving to 17-10-2 overall and 11-9-2 ECAC Hockey, are next in action when they compete in the ECACH Women’s Hockey Championship. Princeton is seeded seventh and will host 10th-seeded RPI in a single-elimination opening round contest on February 21. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Princeton University women’s hockey goalie Jen Olnowich was wearing a white sweater adorned with red hearts to celebrate Valentine’s Day as she came to Hobey Baker Rink last Friday evening.

Olnowich’s attire was also appropriate as she and her fellow seniors were being shown affection over the weekend as the Tigers played their final regular season home games of the 2024-25 campaign.

“It is really exciting, it is a mix of sad and happy looking back on everything that we have done,” said Olnowich, reflecting on the program’s celebration of the Class of 2025. “You don’t really understand the weight of Senior Day when you watch it as a freshman. It is cool to be on this side. I am just grateful for these four years.”

As Princeton hosted Union on Friday, Olnowich displayed plenty of heart, made 22 saves as the Tigers won 2-1 in overtime.

In assessing her performance, Olnowich credited the work of the Tiger defenders.

“It is great, we have a really young defensive group,” said Olnowich. “There are two seniors but some of our best defensemen are freshmen and sophomores. As we get later in the season, it has been cool to watch them develop. I think they have gotten a lot of confidence and have gotten really solid.”

With sophomore goalie Uma Corniea sidelined this season due to injury, Olnowich has gotten the lion’s share of work between the pipes, starting 24 of 29 games this winter.

“It has been bit of a change, I don’t think I have ever played this many games in a season,” said Olnowich. “It has been a really great opportunity, especially to be able to have a bad game and bounce back and play the next game and watch the team grow their trust in me. It has been a good experience for me that will hopefully benefit us down the line.”

As a native of Madison, who starred at Chatham High, Olnowich is thrilled to have gotten the chance to play for the Tigers.

“I have been watching Princeton games ever since I was 8,” said Olnowich. “Somewhere in my house I have autograph books from being on the ice with the players which is really cute. I played a bunch of sports growing up and I always loved Princeton. I chose hockey as I got older.

It has been really cool to play here.”

At the other end of the ice, Tiger junior forward Issy Wunder scored both Princeton goals in the win over Union.

Her first tally came on a one-timer early in the third period as the Tigers took a 1-0 lead.

“It was at the end of a long shift, I just wanted to get the puck deep,” said Wunder. “I can’t remember the last time I have scored on a slap shot. I think it just worked out with the defense screening the goalie. That is a goal that I will take, I don’t know if I can replicate it.”

After Union knotted the game at 1-1 to force overtime, Wunder came through again with her second tally, taking advantage of some savvy play by Emerson O’Leary and Gabby Kim who picked up assists on the game-winning goal.

“As soon as the puck went in, I wanted to go and give Emerson a big hug,” said Wunder. “She was a warrior, that goal was entirely her. I think a lot of players would have given up on that play. I think it should have been a penalty but it worked out, she battled through. I think the whole rink thought Gabby was going to shoot, myself included. I was surprised when I got the puck. It was a great team effort.”

Wunder has produced a great junior campaign, tallying 24 goals and 23 assists so far this season after totaling 53 points combined in her first two seasons.

“I think from the beginning we have been scoring a lot of goals and I think the production has come from all around the lineup,” said Wunder. “The lines have changed around, people have moved around. The main consistent thing is that we know we can rely on a lot of different players. As I have grown up on this team and in this league, I have learned to trust myself and play my game.”

Princeton head coach Cara Morey lauded her senior group for their spirit on and off the ice.

“They have been great,” said Morey, whose senior group includes captain Mia Coene, Emma Dornseif, Grace Kuipers, Ellie Marcovsky, and Dominique Cormier in addition to Olnowich.

“They are more of our support role players but they are always there picking up the bench. Jen and Mia have a little bit more minutes on ice but all of them give a pretty good impact off the ice.”

Morey credited Olnowich with making a huge impact for the Tigers this winter.

“Jen has given us a lot of energy and heart,” said Morey of Olnowich who has posted a 2.43 goals against average and a .920 save percentage this season. “She pours everything into our team and our program. She has been there when we need her, she gives us a chance to win every game right now.”

Wunder, who picked up her 100th career point on an assist in 4-3 loss to RPI on Saturday, was there when the Tigers needed her against Union.

“I tell her to shoot and I tell her to shoot,” said Morey, whose team moved to 17-10-2 overall and 11-9-2 ECAC Hockey with the defeat to RPI. “When it went top corner from the blue line, I was like are you kidding me. She is a special player, you need your best players making those plays.”

With the Tigers starting play in the ECACH Women’s Hockey Championship this week where they are seeded seventh and will host 10th-seeded RPI in a single-elimination opening round contest on February 21, Morey knows that Tigers will have to be at their best to advance.

“We are setting ourselves up for playoffs at every point,” said Morey. “The league is crazy. Where we finish doesn’t matter or who we end up playing in any round, they are going to be brutal.”

In Wunder’s view, the overtime win against Union, the team’s fourth OT triumph of the season, is encouraging heading into the postseason.

“We are coming up on playoffs and the mentality is that in playoffs it doesn’t matter how you win, a win is a win,” said Wunder. “So the fact that we have been able to come up big in overtime lately is a good sign going into playoffs.”

Olnowich, for her part, is primed to go out on a high note.

“I think I have always been a goalie who uses any athleticism to come out far, get back,” said Olnowich. “As an underclassman it is hard to have the confidence. As I have been able to read the plays and get better, I have been able to see how far I can come out without pushing it. I have always wanted to play the same way but I think finally senior year I am really able to do that with the confidence that I have gained.”