Women’s ice hockey improves to reach playoffs
Despite their loss in the semifinals, the St. Joe’s women’s hockey team capped off their season with a second place finish in Division III of the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference.
Senior forward Dani Bouchard credits the team’s success to their strong leadership.
“I think the constant enthusiasm from everyone led to our success this year,” Bouchard said. “We have really good captains like Erin Dougherty, Jess Pareja and Brooke Goulden. Their constant motivation and the balance between their personalities led us to where we are now. Our team’s passion got us here.”
It wasn’t completely smooth sailing for St. Joe’s. They struggled early in the season, losing their first three games. However, the team showed great perseverance and finished the season at 6-5-0, improving immensely since those first couple of weekends in October.
“We started out slow this season,” said junior captain Erin Dougherty. “A lot of our players were still learning how to play when we had our first four games of the season, so those were tough weekends to start with. But in the second half of the season we only lost one game. Everyone was able to stay focused and kept practicing so that we could continue to get better.”
Bouchard feels that the success of their season has brought the team together. She was impressed with how well the team came together over the past few months.
“We gained more freshman than usual this year,” Bouchard said. “We are a lot closer than we were in September. We didn’t really know half the team, but now we are one synergized team. Our communication is much better both on and off the ice.”
Dougherty hopes that the recent success helps spread awareness of the team, as the club hopes to grow in the coming years. They had freshman join this year but will also lose some key senior leadership.
“People don’t really know about us,” Dougherty said. “We don’t have a lot of people or fans at our games. We do need skaters for next year. Right now we have four skaters and a goalie so we won’t be able to field a team unless we get more players next year.”
The upperclassmen hope the welcoming environment they fostered continues and encourages players of all skill levels to join.
“I was from Miami and had never played hockey before,” Bouchard said. “College is about getting outside of your comfort zone. This club is perfect for that, you meet great people and you learn a lot. Whether you are trying something new or continuing something you love, it is a great environment.”
Especially for players who are just beginning, Bouchard stressed the importance of keeping the atmosphere light. They want everyone to enjoy being part of the club.
“We are always upbeat and happy,” Bouchard said. “Once you are there at practice or at a game you have fun. I met my best friends through this team.”
Dougherty emphasizes how close the team dynamic is as a draw for potential players.
“Everyone gets along,” Dougherty said. “Everyone does everything for each other.”
