Women's Hockey: Melissa Anderson Breaks BU Career Scoring Record

Freshmen forward Cardella Benefitting from Veteran's Impact

by Kai Barner 

Five days after tying former Terrier Gina Kearns’ (’09) career scoring mark of 102 points, senior forward Melissa Anderson (’10) broke Kearns’ mark in the most fitting way possible for three reasons:

1). It was on the Terriers’ home ice at Walter Brown Arena in front of her friends and fans – it just wouldn’t have gotten the same reception if she had done it on Saturday at UNH’s Whittemore Center.

“I felt good,” Anderson ('10) said after the game. “My friends were here watching – they all wanted me to wait until we could do it at home. It just means more.”

2). It was on a goal that she buried from the slot – the way a record of such significance deserves to be emphatically broken, whereas getting it on a fluke deflection or some secondary assist would’ve felt anticlimactic.

“[Kathryn] Miller ('13) shot it from the point, it popped out and I knew the goalie was down so I had to go up,” she recalled of what had transpired. “A couple seconds before that I missed a shot so I was just a little angry and was like ‘I’m going to bury this one.’ So I put it in the back of the net.”

3). It was on November 11, Gina Kearns’ birthday – what are the chances of that?

“Actually I didn’t know it was her birthday. Coach [Durocher] was joking about it in the locker room after,” Anderson laughed. “Sorry Gina! Happy Birthday!”

Anderson’s 103 career points break down into 38 goals and 65 assists, and her assist mark also stands as a program record. The only remaining question is how far she is going to push those records, since there are still at least 22 games left to play, not including the postseason.

“[Anderson]’s been a very consistent, steady player who may end up with her best year ever this year before it’s all said and done.” Coach Durocher said. “My hat’s off to her for setting the record.”

Anderson now has two goals and eight assists through 12 games and is on pace to finish with six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 34 games, which would actually be short of the personal best single season mark she set as a freshman with 34 points. However, if you consider that since Durocher made the lineup change, moving freshman forward Jill Cardella ('13) to Anderson’s wing, Anderson has been averaging a point a night while Cardella is still just starting to scratch the surface of her potential and settle into the pace and intensity of the college game. The freshmen forward has already posted an impressive line, with 7 goals and 3 assists so far.

If Cardella ('13) keeps developing and the Terriers make some noise in the postseason like they’re expected to, Anderson could very well finish with her best year ever.