2008 Woodie Awards
Women's hockey steps up play
Travis Weldon
Issue date: 10/18/07 Section: Sports
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I would like to take the time to thank the women's hockey team for slamming my last column right down my throat.
For those who don't read the amazing University Chronicle, I shall give you a little review of the column a week ago.
I stated the team has an opening schedule from hell, facing three-time champion Minnesota-Duluth, two-time champion Minnesota, followed by back-to-back champion Wisconsin.
I also said the women's team is a pretty good squad, but asking for WCHA points during this stretch was going to be very difficult.
I wrote this just after the Huskies went 0-for-22 on the power play and lost by a combined score of 11-0 against Duluth.
I said the team's confidence would be shaken even though everyone I've talked to on the team, particularly coach Jeff Giesen, was excited to start out the season against the best competition in the nation.
"It's going to raise the bar," he said prior to the series against Minnesota. "We are playing against these teams, it's going to get us into the mindset of playing at the high level early versus easing things into it. That's going to help us down the road."
The next week they took three points from No. 7 Minnesota and are sitting at 1-2-1 two-thirds through this amazingly tough opening schedule.
I have never seen the same team do such a quick turnaround. They had plenty of troubles against Duluth. It's hard to beat a goalie who stood on her head and saved a number of odd-man rushes to the net.
After not scoring a goal against Duluth, as no one else has in four games, the Huskies put up six goals against the Gophers. Other than the second period, the Huskies were in control of the game Saturday at the National Hockey Center. It looked like a completely different team.
The passing was much crisper and hit the targets. Sammy Nixon's goal on a breakaway was a direct result of Danielle Hirsch's beautiful pass down ice.
Meaghan Pezon was named USCHO.com player of the week for her performance against the Gophers. She tallied two goals and an assist, including the game-winning goal Saturday.
For those who don't read the amazing University Chronicle, I shall give you a little review of the column a week ago.
I stated the team has an opening schedule from hell, facing three-time champion Minnesota-Duluth, two-time champion Minnesota, followed by back-to-back champion Wisconsin.
I also said the women's team is a pretty good squad, but asking for WCHA points during this stretch was going to be very difficult.
I wrote this just after the Huskies went 0-for-22 on the power play and lost by a combined score of 11-0 against Duluth.
I said the team's confidence would be shaken even though everyone I've talked to on the team, particularly coach Jeff Giesen, was excited to start out the season against the best competition in the nation.
"It's going to raise the bar," he said prior to the series against Minnesota. "We are playing against these teams, it's going to get us into the mindset of playing at the high level early versus easing things into it. That's going to help us down the road."
The next week they took three points from No. 7 Minnesota and are sitting at 1-2-1 two-thirds through this amazingly tough opening schedule.
I have never seen the same team do such a quick turnaround. They had plenty of troubles against Duluth. It's hard to beat a goalie who stood on her head and saved a number of odd-man rushes to the net.
After not scoring a goal against Duluth, as no one else has in four games, the Huskies put up six goals against the Gophers. Other than the second period, the Huskies were in control of the game Saturday at the National Hockey Center. It looked like a completely different team.
The passing was much crisper and hit the targets. Sammy Nixon's goal on a breakaway was a direct result of Danielle Hirsch's beautiful pass down ice.
Meaghan Pezon was named USCHO.com player of the week for her performance against the Gophers. She tallied two goals and an assist, including the game-winning goal Saturday.