By: Julie Pearson
Posted In: Sports
Photo credit: Salve Regina University
Salve women hockey players look to improve this year.
The Salve Regina women’s hockey team looks to improve on its last season record of 2-20 with nine new freshman and experienced veterans.
This season’s team contains 21 women, nine of which are freshman. Four sophomores, one junior, and six seniors round out the numbers. The team is lead by tri-captains Courtney Caufield and Meg Toland, both seniors, and junior captain, Shannon Ryan. Coach Steve Oullette believes that the team will improve on last year’s record, with the great amounts of character and hard work put forth each day by all team members. Because the season opener was played against one of the best teams in the league, Manhattanville and Rensalaer, it is difficult to predict how exactly the team will fare in the regular season. The women’s ice hockey team began the season in late September with dry land training, which featured conditioning and strength training as well as plyometrics. Plyometrics help the athletes to react faster on the ice by developing fast-twitch muscle fiber, said Oullette. Now that the team is in season, the women practice four to five mornings a week, 6 to 8:30 am at St. George’s rink in Middletown. The team is scheduled to play 25 games, which will all take place on weekends. After taking a shortened Christmas break, the team will return to campus on January 2 and play the remainder of their season. When asked who the standout players of the team are, Coach Oullette, now entering his third season coaching the women’s ice hockey team, says that he sees each of his players making a contribution to the team. He did, however, cite his three goaltenders as a vital part of the team. Oullette said that Kristin Suslowicz, a premier goalie in the league and senior, will be sorely missed and leave big shoes to fill next season. He also acknowledged Sarah Kuecher, also a goalie, as a valuable member of the team. The younger players have made large contributions to the Seahawks in almost all aspects of the game. Freshmen Jen Spaulding, Kait Farrell, Ashley Saunders, Aimee Provencher, Courtney O’Connell, and Abby Muse were all cited by Coach Oullette as big contributors. Farrell has one goal for the season, while Saunders has two. Freshman Brittany Rogers has been sidelined by minor injuries, but her return is anticipated, as she is versatile and a threat on both defense and offense. “Our returning defense; sophomore Courtney Carthas, senior Bekki Goncarovs and junior Shannon Ryan have a work ethic that keeps them constantly performing hard, never giving up in pressure situations,” adds Oullette. Adia Sovie is also an asset to the team. She was chosen by Coach Oullette to represent the team as a SAAC Representative, and host prospective students while visiting. A welcomed surprise for the team came when senior Danielle Darisse returned from knee surgery performed over the summer and, “stepped up her game,” said Oullette. Darisse spends most of her time on the penalty kill unit due to her ability to read and react quickly to plays. The team also anticipates the return of senior Renee Larosee, who is recovering from foot surgery that was also performed over the summer. “[The season] is long, but we are like a family by then. Aside from being the head coach, I liken myself to the “Dad” image. I really do love these kids!” Oulette says, “They are bright, talented and work extremely hard throughout the season. Like any family, we do have moments of disagreements, but we always make a concerted effort to resolve them as quickly as possible. That is why we are a family of sorts.” The hardest part of the job, he adds, is saying goodbye to the seniors. He hopes that each of the seniors learned and grew through the Salve Regina University Ice Hockey program, and carries lessons learned into their careers.
