ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell women's ice hockey team, fresh off consecutive ECAC Hockey regular season and tournament titles and Ivy League championships, has finalized its 2011-12 schedule with a pair of midweek contests. The Big Red will play an additional contest at Syracuse on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. and then will face Mercyhurst on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at Lynah Rink.

Cornell's scheduled season-opening opponent, Wayne State, dropped the sport of women's hockey, leaving a hole in the Big Red's schedule. Cornell filled it with a pair of non-conference matchups, including a marquee home game against perennial national power Mercyhurst.

A season ago, the Big Red knocked off Syracuse 4-1 on Nov. 30, 2010 in just the second meeting against the Orange. Cornell held a dominant 61-16 edge in shots and rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to claim the victory and even the all-time series record.

Cornell and Mercyhurst split a pair of contests during the 2010-11 season, with each team winning on the other team's home ice. The Big Red dropped a thrilling 4-3 overtime contest at Lynah Rink on Nov. 2, 2010, then responded with a 3-0 win in Erie, Pa. on Jan. 18, 2011. Mercyhurst leads the all-time series 12-2-1, though the Big Red has won two of the last three meetings. Cornell will now play seven contests against 2010-11 NCAA tournament opponents, including three games with Mercyhurst.