Moriarity Sisters, double trouble on the ice

Ice hockey has been a part of their upbringing since a very early age. Having a father who played the sport during his high school days he introduced it to his children as soon as they could lace up the skates and take to the ice. Currently the two older girls,
Brynn and Nicole Moriarity are playing for the Medway-Ashland girl’s ice hockey team, which also includes Holliston and Millis athletes. Brynn is a junior forward, while Nicole is a sophomore defenseman for the squad playing under Coach Karl Infanger.
The Moriarity girls began skating around the age of three and soon after began playing hockey. According to Brynn, they began their hockey careers playing in the Framingham Youth Hockey Program before eventually moving over to Assabet Valley in Concord.
As a third year player for Medway-Ashland Brynn had been playing center all three years and although she has always been a forward she feels she is getting so much more out of this season on the ice.
“My first two years I had a different coach,” she said. “This year Coach Infanger has been very dedicated to the team and we seem to be responding to him and being much more productive in practices, which then leads to the game.”
The elder Moriarity has always played forward as she enjoys bringing the puck up the ice while having the ability to skate wherever she likes.
“Brynn is an all-around center with a quick release. She also sees time on the power play as well as the penalty kill,” Coach Infanger said. “Last year she had 10 or 11 goals for us, which was near the tops for us. This season she currently has four goals and four assists and is tied with three others as the team’s top scorer.”
While Brynn is buzzing around the opposing goal crease looking to help Medway-Ashland put the puck in the net, her younger sister Nicole is quite content to play primarily at the other end of the ice.
“I originally started playing wing,” Nicole said. “Then one day my coach asked me to try defense; I liked it much better and have been there ever since.”
When the younger Moriarity got to Ashland High School there was no doubt in her mind that she was going to try out for the team. However, during those initial days she found herself a little nervous not knowing any of the girls from the other three schools.
“It was difficult at first, but once I made the team and began practicing I got to become familiar with them,” she said. “In addition to our time on the ice we did a lot of team bonding off the ice.”
Coach Infanger sees no issues with the younger of the two Moriarity sisters.
“Nicole played a little last year for us, but has been getting into the lineup this year on a more regular basis,” the coach said.
Earlier in the year Nicole was credited with an assist on one of her older sister’s goals.
“It was a great feeling,” said Brynn. “But when we’re on the ice I don’t think of her as my sister, but just another player on the team.”
Nicole had somewhat of the same feeling.
“It happened so quickly I wasn’t really sure if I was part of it, but when I found out I was really excited afterward,” she said. “As my sister I know her so well compared to playing with the other girls but on the ice we’re just a team.”
It’s not the first time that the two have played together on an Ashland High School team – the sisters are also part of the field hockey team so they don’t find it as anything special. However, next year things may be a little more interesting as their younger sister Danielle will be entering high school and looking for some playing time on the offense.
“It will be something new if we are all on the same team next year,” Nicole said. “It has never happened before. Being the middle sister I’m usually playing with my older sister or my younger sister, but all three of us have never played together.”
Coach Infanger is looking forward to the possible triple threat the Moriarity girls could have on the team next season.
“With yet another sister moving up to the high school next year who knows what will happen,” the Coach said. “Their father runs the middle school hockey program and the girls all have high hockey IQ’s.”
While that possibility is still in the future, right now the Moriarity girls are focusing all their energy on playing their best hockey to help Medway-Ashland on the ice to reach the tournament.