Each week, BRSN chooses one athlete from the Cornell community that stood out among the rest. This week, we spoke to women’s hockey sophomore forward, Paige Lewis, who scored one goal and contributed two assists against Brown and one goal against Yale two weekends ago. The team captured the Ivy League title for the second year in a row, and will begin ECAC playoffs this weekend.
BRSN: What was your mindset going into this past weekend?
PL: This past weekend, I knew our team as a whole had to perform at our best to win the Ivy League title. We worked hard throughout the entire season to put us in a good position to win the Ivy League, giving us confidence going into our games versus Yale and Brown. We knew we had to play a whole 60 minutes on both days with consistent effort and focus.
BRSN: How did you first get started with hockey, and what kept you in the sport?
PL: I come from a family of seven with two sets of twins. All five of us played hockey competitively growing up. We all grew up skating at a local club with one of the only outdoor rinks in Connecticut, where we would have to play games in everything from rain to snow storms. I actually acted figure skating at age 3 and started hockey at age 6, but continued to do both competitively until I was 12, when I decided to switch to hockey full-time.
BRSN: Why did you choose Cornell?
PL: I chose Cornell because I found it was the perfect fit for me socially, academically and athletically. I stayed at Cornell overnight with Erin O’Connor in my junior year of high school and immediately fell in love with the school because of its beautiful campus, welcoming players and coaches, and challenging academics. The team was extremely friendly and made me feel right at home.
BRSN: What is your favorite hockey memory?
PL: My favorite hockey memory [was] a peewee game play[ed] at the New Canaan Winter Club, an outdoor rink I played at when I was a kid. In one game, there was a huge snow storm and the pick barely moved because the snow was piled so high and I couldn’t even see the other end of the ice; however, we pushed through it and continued playing. My twin brother, Reid, was on the team and we were on the same line, which was a blast. The game was tied and there was a minute left in the third. He was given a penalty shot, scored, and we ended up winning the game. The whole team cleared the bench and made a dog-pile on top of him. Even though this game was a while ago, it reminds me of why I started to play hockey in the first place, and to just have fun and enjoy the little things.
BRSN: What is your favorite game you’ve ever played in?
PL: My favorite game I’ve ever played in is our game against Quinnipiac last year. We won 10 seconds into overtime and everyone in Lynah went crazy. It really showed how special Cornell Hockey is and how exciting the Lynah atmosphere is.
BRSN: Do you have any pre-game superstitions?
PL: I don’t really have any superstitions. I think I mentally prepare and get pumped up for a game by listening to music, dancing, and having fun with my teammates.
BRSN: Before Cornell, you played for North American Hockey Academy. How was that experience and how did it prepare you for Cornell?
PL: I think the North American Hockey Academy had a huge impact on my preparedness for college hockey. At NAHA, we played four or five games [per] weekend and had a tough travel schedule, which made it easier to transition to a division I hockey schedule while balancing academics. Playing at NAHA, I developed my skills and habits and became a better player on the ice and a better person off the ice.
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