By Megan Walsh

During day-to-day life at Macalester, most students do not hear much about the women’s club hockey team. Ask one of the players about their season, however, and you will get an idea of what you have been missing. The response will most likely include the phrases “awesome”, “incredible”, and “120 percent better than last year.” Their eyes will light up, laughter will follow and you will be told stories of their remarkable season.

“It’s going great,” team captain Lauren Morse ’08 said of the season, “we are all very enthusiastic”

Teammate Robin Canavan ’08 echoed her captain’s thoughts. “Last year we scored three total goals all season,” she said, “This year in the first game we scored four goals. It was a great feeling.”

While the results of this season have been very different than last season, the lineup is mostly unchanged. “Every year we lose half of the players [to graduation or study abroad], this year we have a lot more returning players which has been a big thing,” Allison Palmer ’08 said. The team is mostly compiled of sophomores who had little or no experience before last season. With a year of hockey under their belt however, the young team has begun to come into its own. “It is very different this year. Last year we had fun with it. This year we still have fun but it is more serious.” Barbara Betz ’08 said.

For Joanna Trigg ’08, women’s hockey is sports at its best. “After playing sports so competitively, it is refreshing to be a part of this team,” she said. “The outcome doesn’t matter. That’s the beauty of it. Sports are fun. All that matters is that you tried and had fun.”

The team has become like a family. Many players are teammates in sports other than hockey. Learning to play hockey and building the team has helped them to become very close. This family would not exist without the dedication of an 80 year old alum named Jane. “She is like our grandma.” Joanna Triggs explained.

Five years ago Jane approached Macalester because she believed the college needed a women’s hockey team. Jane has sponsored the team and donated equipment for the past five years. She is a member of the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame, still plays in occasional pick up games, can be seen at some of the women’s games and invites the team over to her house for holiday parties.

Last Thursday Macalester beat the Veelas 1-0 in front of many enthusiastic fans. Tara Williams ’07 scored the lone goal. The win improved their record to 6-6-1 and lands them in the middle of the standings in their women’s league. The team is focused on the remaining five games of regular season. There will be no post-season this year because each team is required to pay extra money to particpate and Macalester used almost its entire budget to pay for regular season operations this year.

Captain Lauren Morse explained that she hopes in the future Macalester will increase the team’s budget, thus giving them more opportunities. She also hopes that the interest and participation in Macalester hockey continues to grow.

Women’s hockey has five more games this season. Their next one will take place Sunday February 12th at 7:50 pm at the Highland Park Arena.