ITHACA, N.Y.— Lenka Serdar '19 and the Czech Republic women's national ice hockey team are headed to the Olympics. The team passed Hungary on Sunday, 5-1, to earn the country's first-ever Olympic berth.
The Cornell women's hockey alumna helped the Czechs to the qualifying victory when she scored the second goal of the 5-1 game at the 7:46 mark of the first period.
A scrum in front of the Hungary goal led to Serdar finding the puck during a flurry of sticks at the top of the crease. She jostled with Hungary defenders before the puck came back around to her and she was able to slide it under the Hungary goaltender for her fourth point of the Group C qualifying tournament in Chomutov, Czech
Serdar (left) and Knee pose in
their respective nation's uniforms.
Republic.
Of those defenders was a familiar face— former teammate Sarah Knee '18— who serves as an alternate captain for Hungary and was on the ice when Serdar scored.
Serdar will join Cornell alumnae and Team Canada members Jaime Bourbonnais, Brianne Jenner, Kristin O'Neill, Jill Saulnier and Rebecca Johnston along with the Everett Family Head Coach of Women's Ice Hockey,
Doug Derraugh '91, as Cornellians represented at the games.
USA, Canada, Finland, the Russian Olympic Committee and Switzerland will play in Group A of the two-tiered preliminary round while Group B will consist of Japan, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Denmark and host China. The Group A teams and the top-three Group B teams will play in the quarterfinals.
The Olympic women's ice hockey tournament will be played in Beijing from Feb. 3-17 at the 18,826-seat National Indoor Stadium and the 14,614-seat Wukesong Sports Centre.
