The Yale women’s ice hockey team, whose season officially started two weekends ago, has only seen one victory in four matches. Despite a rough start, the women have been delivering solid performances against tough competitors, with goalie Genny Lagides ’12 making 23 saves in the most recent game alone.
The season opener at New Hampshire on Oct. 25 ended in a Bulldog loss, with a final score of 5-3. The then-ranked No. 4 Wildcats maintained a 5-0 lead for the first three periods until Crysti Howser ’09 aided the Elis with two goals and an assist in the last few minutes. But the final attempt was not enough to save the Elis.
The following day, the Bulldogs faced off against Montreal’s McGill in an exhibition on home ice. The score was closer, ending with a 2-1 loss. The goal was scored by Aleca Hughes ’12.
The team picked up more speed the following weekend when it beat Union 4-0 on the road.
The women were most recently defeated by Rensselaer in another 2-1 loss.
With all but two of its members returning from the 2007–’08 season, the Bulldogs boast eight seniors who will be expected to carry the team. Captain Sarah Tittman ’09, who scored 12 goals last year, hopes to lead her teammates to many victories in the upcoming winter season.
“We want to build off of where we ended last season,” Tittman said. “We ended last year playing the best hockey we’ve played in my whole time on the team.”
The Elis have been practicing intensely in preparation for the grueling four-month-long season ahead.
Tittman said that bringing the competition to the ice shouldn’t be an issue for the women, and that despite several injuries already, the team has been able to rally around them.
“We have a really fun group of girls who are hard-working,” Hughes said. “If we can continue to show up to practice everyday and give 100 percent, we’re going to be successful.”
Tomorrow the women will host St. Lawrence at the newly renovated Ingalls Rink and hope to snatch a home victory.
“[St. Lawrence] has a talented team and the girls are really feisty,” Hughes said. “But if we play our best, we can still win any game.”