Yale Athletics

The Yale women’s ice hockey team is back on the ice with a 5-1 shutout against McGill in their first game of the season. 

On Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs hosted the Martlets in a preseason exhibition match at Ingalls Rink. By the end of the first period, Vita Poniatovskaia ’25 and Carina DiAntonio ’26 had each scored a goal for Yale. At the end of the game, rookie Cami Bell ’28 scored her first two collegiate goals, and captain Anna Bargman ’25 clinched the final goal. The win marks a promising start to the season for the Bulldogs. 

“The team always sets goals at the beginning of the season,” said Jordan Ray ’26. “This year, our goal is to win the Ivy League and the ECAC championship, then move on to represent Yale at the national level and bring home a national championship.” 

These goals follow a year in which the Elis “fell short,” according to Ray, in the playoffs. Now, two years after making it to the Frozen Four, the team is gearing up more intensely than ever for a successful comeback. 

In addition to practicing six days a week on the ice, the team trains off the ice up to five days a week in cardio, power training, agility work and shooting development. These drills are coupled with regular team bonding exercises, including service shifts at the Yale Community Kitchen. 

“We want to be a hard team to play against, and the team no one wants to see on their schedule. We know that the league is going to be extremely competitive, so bringing our best to every game is crucial,” Bargman, the team’s captain, wrote to the News. “With the majority of the team being returners, a lot of us are able to lead and exemplify what we need to do to push ourselves for the greatest season yet.” 

Olivia Muhn ’25 emphasized that balancing big-picture visions with fine-tuning smaller details of the game would be critical to reaching their goals. She also noted the underrecognized importance of maintaining a positive mindset that “alone can carry a team far.” 

While upperclassmen still make up a large portion of the team, many players acknowledged that the graduation of former captain Elle Hartje ’24, who was drafted into the Professional Women’s Hockey League, and standout forward Kiersten Goode ’24 left substantial gaps on the ice. However, they also noted that the large new class of seven freshmen demonstrated the skills, discipline and instinct necessary to fill their shoes. 

“Our freshman class is already integrating well into the team. They are a very strong group who will make an impact this season,” Ray told the News. 

The Bulldogs also commended the new upperclassmen stepping into leadership roles on the team. Four players told the News that there are two “main point leaders” fans should look out for this year: Pia Dukaric ’25, who recorded the most minutes and saves out of any goalie at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship and was the 2023 ECAC goalie of the year, and Bargman, 2023 ECAC All-Academic and Second Team All-Ivy recipient.

Dukaric said that the team gained valuable experience last year after losing key players like Claire Dalton ’23 and that they have a few “really good” games at the end of the season that they aim to build upon. The goalie also expressed her excitement about seeing the large class of freshman players “step up” to the rink. 

The freshmen highlighted the supportive energy and camaraderie within the team as consistent sources of motivation as they enter a year filled with high ambitions. 

“The culture of the team is fantastic,” said Naomi Baechler ’28. “We’re focused, motivated and always ready to support one another both on and off the ice. And the intensity of being in the rink and pushing for a win with my teammates is just unmatched.”

The Bulldogs will drop the puck on their first collegiate match of the season against Saint Anselm College on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Ingalls Rink.

CLAIRE NAM