Women’s hockey adopts a new system of play

The Middlebury women’s hockey team, currently ranked seventh nationally, has faced stiff competition in its last several matchups.

In the Panther/Cardinal Classic Jan. 3 and 4, the Panthers played the second-ranked Elmira and third-ranked Plattsburgh, dropping both games to these national powerhouses.

Last Friday, the team took the ice against yet another nationally ranked opponent, the Trinity Bantams, and suffered a painfully close 2-1 overtime defeat. Saturday’s game against Wesleyan, however, saw the determined Panthers bounce back for a convincing 6-1 victory over the Cardinals, ending their three-game losing streak.

At Trinity, the team came out a little flat, and a much-improved Trinity squad capitalized on this to open the scoring late in the first period. Middlebury returned fired up in the second period, and really picked up the tempo of the game. Forward Julia Ireland ’11 netted a shot to tie the game, and the Panthers outshot the Bantams 13-6.

Despite the renewed intensity, Middlebury was unable to find the net in the third period, sending the game into overtime.

Shortly after the start of the sudden-death extra time,

a scrum in front of the Panthers’ crease led to a questionable call against a Middlebury defender for covering the puck in the crease, resulting in a penalty shot for Trinity. The Bantams’ forward Kim Weiss converted on a beautiful shot, ending the game on a disappointing note for the Panthers.

“It was a harsh way to end it,” said forward Jamie Harisiades ’12.

“You’d rather be battling it out than watching a penalty shot.”

Trinity earned its first-ever win against the Panthers in Friday’s contest, but the team refused to let the loss deter them; instead, they came out strong in the following day’s game against Wesleyan and cruised to a 6-1 win.

The team saw offensive contributions from several of its forwards, a testament to the incredible depth and talent of the young team.

“We’re one of the faster, well-conditioned teams in Middlebury’s recent history,” said Harisiades, and the third period was certainly a testament to this statement.

The Panthers opened the floodgates and scored three unanswered goals, including one as the final seconds of the game ticked off. Clearly, this is a team that doesn’t let up until the final whistle blows.

The Connecticut road trip has been very instructive for the team, and the women are looking to build on the momentum gained in their solid win over Wesleyan as they prepare for one of the biggest weekends of the season — a double-header against the defending national champions and Middlebury’s long-time rival, Amherst.

“Playing against a competitive team like Trinity has prepared us for our upcoming weekend against the defending national champs,” said captain Heather McCormack ’10.

“We have since changed our system of play, and after successfully using this system against Wesleyan, we are excited to use the momentum from that win going into the weekend.”

The new system features a back-to-the-basics approach that incorporates the traditional hockey formation of three forwards and two backs.

“We need to modify things in order to break out and score goals,” explained Harisiades. Clearly, the Trinity game was a wake-up call, and the team is going into the Amherst game with incredible energy and excitement. Last season, the Panthers beat Amherst in the NESCAC championships before being knocked out of the NCAA tournament by the Lord Jeffs. Amherst, currently atop the NCAA Division-III national rankings, is a huge game for Middlebury, and the women intend to come out ready to compete.

“These are the games you really want to play in because it’s great competition,” said Harisiades. The Panthers are psyched about the chance to topple the top team in Division-III hockey, and this weekend’s games promise to be an all-out war between two extremely good teams.