ST. LOUIS - Sophomore goalie Angela Platt (Coleraine, Northern Ireland) arrived for her first season of NCAA hockey with three years of international experience. She played on the Irish Under-21 team in 1997 and on the Irish Under-18 team in 1995 and 1996.
If there were any questions as to whether Platt could make the adjustment to NCAA Division I hockey, she answered them on Saturday in the sixth-ranked Terps' dramatic 2-1 double-overtime victory over No. 11 Michigan at the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. She stopped 15 shots and the only goal she allowed was on a penalty stroke. In the first sudden-death overtime period alone, Platt made eight saves, allowing the Terps to stay in the game.
Platt started in goal against Richmond last Tuesday and played the first half of the Terps' 8-0 win. She only had to make one save and sophomore Zoe Ehrlich made a career-high eight saves in the second half. In 160 minutes, the tandem of Platt and Ehrlich have surrendered only the goal Michigan scored on a penalty stroke.
Maryland has had a history of outstanding goalies. Kim Chorosiewski was a 1986 All-America selection and holds three school records. Irene Horvat was a two-time All-America pick (1993 and 1994) and holds the other five school goaltending records.
One week into the 1998 season, Platt has compiled statistics that compare favorably to Chorosiewski and Horvat. In 125 minutes, her goals against average (GAA) is only 0.44 and her saves percentage is .941.
The Terps came into the 1998 season with a team that contrasted greatly from last year's team that had seven senior starters and was ranked among the top five teams in the NCAA Division coaches poll. Only two seniors (forward Kasey Heiser and back Jen Pratt) are in the starting lineup and five starters, Platt included, are in their first season at Maryland.
Still, while Heiser and Pratt have gotten off to good starts (with two goals and one goal respectively), so too have several of the newcomers. Freshman midfielder Caroline Walter has tallied three assists and sophomore back Rachel Hiskins has shored up the backfield. In addition, freshman midfielder Megan Kelly scored a goal against Richmond
Platt, however, was Maryland's ace in the hole on Saturday, delivering the type of performance that could offset the fact that the Terps have so few returning starters. Having survived her first big test in goal, she may well be on her way to helping the Terps remain one of the elite teams in the NCAA.
