Coach: Schaus 'able to step right in and play'

Molly Schaus left an impression on Boston College women's hockey coach Tom Mutch even before she showed off her athleticism, intelligence, and puck skills in net.

"Her personality really stood out. She has a great sense of humor, just a fun person to be around," recalled Mutch of his first meeting with the Natick teenager, during a USA Hockey sports festival camp for 15- and 16-year-olds in Lake Placid, N.Y., nearly three years ago.

"And in recruiting her, I knew that she'd be able to step right in and play."

The engaging Schaus has done more than just step into Mutch's starting lineup as a freshman goalie. Halfway through her first season at the Heights, she has quickly become a fixture, starting 18 of the Eagles' 19 games while compiling a 12-5-1 mark with a 2.07 goals-against average.

"Right from the get-go up at RPI," a 2-1 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, "she has taken the workload and done a terrific job," Mutch said of the Deerfield Academy product. "I didn't think that she would play this much, but she has played very well against some very good teams."

Mutch pointed to the performance by Schaus in late November against top-ranked Mercyhurst and Canadian Olympian Meghan Agosta. Although it was a 4-0 loss for BC, Mutch said it was a game "in which they really could have opened the doors against us" except for "terrific" play by Schaus.

Mutch also praised her play in a 2-1 setback against the University of New Hampshire, a perennial women's hockey power. "They were 0 for 7 on the power play against us," he added. "She was not allowing rebounds, and was steering the puck to areas in which they had to go get the puck."

Last weekend, she registered her second career shutout in a 5-0 win over Clarkson, making at least 23 saves for the fifth consecutive game.

In addition to her physical skills -- she's a very, very good skater, a terrific catcher with her glove -- she also has a strong understanding of the game's intricacies, her coach said. "When we're short-handed, she understands what the other team is trying to do," said Mutch. "She still has a lot to learn, but remember, she's just 18 years old."

In addition to a starry career at Deerfield, Schaus also was a key player on the highly regarded Assabet Valley Midgets club team that captured five state championships, placed third in the nation three times, and was the national runner-up once.

This season, she has already been honored as Hockey East's Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week (twice), Rookie of the Week, Rookie of the Month and Goalie of the Month.

And yet it is her character that continues to define her. "She's modest, humble and enjoys where she's at," said Mutch. "She has respect for her teammates, the school," and the coaches working with her, he said. "She hasn't changed one bit."

One of her mentors is Wayland's Alison Quandt , who has returned to the Eagles as a volunteer assistant this season after graduating last spring as the program's record-holder for both single-season (2.17) and career goals-against average (2.83). With her 2.07 mark to date, Schaus is on course to break Quandt's record -- as a freshman.

Now at Salem State, Jenkins has big debut

Marlborough's Danielle Jenkins didn't waste any time making an impact for the Salem State College women's basketball team. The 6-foot freshman center dropped in 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds against Springfield College in her collegiate debut, and followed that with an 18-point, nine-rebound effort against Williams College to earn MVP honors in the Salem State Tip-Off Tourney.

"Offensively, I was surprised how quickly she contributed," said long-time Salem State coach Tim Shea . "But now knowing her, she's a little unique. She has the ability to put the ball on the floor, she can shoot with her left or right hand and she has a nice little pull-up from 15 to 16 feet."

Through the first nine games, Jenkins paced the Vikings (6-3) in scoring (13.7 points) and rebounding (6.6) while shooting 51 percent from the floor, her best performance a 25-point, seven-rebound gem against Plymouth State in the season's fourth game.

"She's very mobile, and, as a result, she's able to take advantage of other players her size," said Shea. "But now the word's out, teams will start to drop down and help" defend her. "It's a compliment in a way."

Jenkins has big shoes to fill. Estrella Kulian graduated last spring as the program's all-time second-leading scorer, a MASCAC two-time Player of the Year and a Division 3 Regional All-American selection as a senior.

"I feel fortunate that she's been able to step in right away," said Shea. "And if she wants to be an All-American, she can be, if she continues to work at it." said Shea.

Around campus

After a productive freshman year at Bowdoin, Medfield's Jill Anelauskas is playing an integral role as a sophomore for the unbeaten Polar Bear women's basketball team (11-0), ranked No. 1 nationally in this week's d3hoops.com poll (and No. 2 by the WBCA). The 5-foot-9 forward is the second-leading scorer (12 points per game) and rebounder, with 6.3 per game. Bowdoin, which has made three consecutive NCAA Division 3 Elite 8 appearances, has won a New England-record 74 consecutive games at Morrell Gymnasium, its home court in Brunswick, Maine. . . .

Franklin's Brian Rose led the run-oriented Springfield College football team in receiving as a senior with five total receptions as the Pride racked up a 10-2 record. While his primary responsibilities were to block for the Pride runners who led Division 3 in rushing, the Marian High graduate averaged 40.2 yards per catch -- with his longest 70 yards -- and scored three touchdowns. A criminal justice/psychology major with a minor in history, he carries a 3.93 grade-point average and received Academic All-America recognition from ESPN the Magazine among the region's schools. . . .

Stow's Michaela O'Malley , who prepped at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester, was a major contributor for the Ohio State field hockey team last fall after transferring from Northeastern. The junior forward netted 10 goals and assisted on three others in the fifth-ranked Buckeyes' 15-4 season, which ended with a 3-0 loss to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Division 1 tournament. Ohio State captured the program's second-ever Big Ten championship with a 3-2 overtime win over Michigan State. . . .

Vito V. LaFrancesca is the new women's soccer coach at Lasell College in Newton. A former head coach at both Watertown High and Beaver Country Day, he served as an assistant at Babson last fall.

Robinson, Finch run into the hall

Pat Robinson, of Newton's Waban section, and Henry Finch have been running together for over 25 years, figuratively and literally. The two long-time running enthusiasts first started dating as members of the Cambridge Sports Union in the late 1970s, ran the 1984 Boston Marathon together stride for stride, and have trained and competed in hundreds of races over the years.

Their association with the sports union goes back nearly 30 years. They are hosts of the popular "CSU Soup Run," which takes place every March and follows the marathon course to Mile 18 and sometimes beyond.

Early last month, they were inducted into the Cambridge Sports Union's Hall of Fame, in recognition of their contributions to the organization. "We were touched and honored, it was a very nice reward," said Robinson, who has run seven Boston Marathons.

"One of the nice things, the common denominator for all of us in the union, is our love of running and, for many of us, competing as a team. It brings us all together, the club aspect of it. It's quite a diverse range of people."

Her marathon days are over, but the 53-year-old Robinson still makes it a point to run every day. Last fall, she placed second in the 50-59 age bracket at the USATF New England Cross Country Championships 6K at Franklin Park. Her husband, 57, "hikes and bikes" for the most part these days, but also competed in the cross-country championships.

The couple also passed on their passion for running to their two sons. Kelton , a freshman at Carnegie-Mellon University, was a three-season runner at Newton South High.

Likewise for younger son Ben , currently a sophomore there. "It's a family sport, but we don't try to run with the boys anymore," joked Robinson.

Craig Larson can be called at 508- 820-4234 or e-mailed at clarson@ globe.com.