Volume CXXXIII, Number 10 November 16, 2001 f

Women's hockey out for Midd, Williams
REBEKAH METZLER
STAFF WRITER

Players on this year's women's ice hockey team may be less numerous than in past seasons, but the group is certainly not short on promise.

"We only have sixteen skaters and three goalies, but this is the most talent I believe the program has ever had," said head coach Michele Amidon. "Our numbers are down, but the strength of the team has returned."

In Amidon's sixth year at Bowdoin, she heads a team that has only one senior on the roster. Carrie Simons '02, with juniors Beth Muir and Emily McKissock, captain the young group.

Despite the squad's relative youth, the level of play displayed thus far has been a promising indicator of the season to come. Sophomore Kirsten Larsen noted that high participation in off-season lifting and conditioning sessions has already led to results on the ice.

"It's only the second week of practice, and we're already more advanced than we were mid-season last year," she said.

This year marks the first time for a NESCAC women's ice hockey league. The new setup means that the Bowdoin women "will play everyone [both] home and away," Amidon said.

The league's formation also paves the way for an end-of-season NESCAC tournament, with a guaranteed NCAA birth for the division champion. Amidon named Williams and Middlebury as the two most challenging squads on the Polar Bear schedule this year.

Confidence on the team runs high, even in the face of tough competition from the likes of the Ephs and Jeffs.

"We are going to destroy Middlebury, and not only that, but kick Williams's ass too," Larsen said.

The Middlebury game will certainly be a season highlight and will also be the first home game for the Bears (mark it on your calendars, December 7, 7:00 p.m.).

Last year's Bowdoin team wowed its near-capacity crowd by ending Middlebury's 119-game Division III win streak with a tie. One can only imagine the electricity this year's match-up will bring to Dayton Arena.

Amidon mentioned that the team is making a trip to Minnesota over winter break to play St. Tomas, Gustavus, and Wisconsin-River Falls. "Gustavus and River-Falls are ranked in the top ten in the nation," she said. "These games will give us a good indication of where we fit nationally."

Sophomore Sadie Wieschhoff echoed her coach's sentiments. "The trip will give us great national exposure," she said.

"We've always been in the top ten nationally, but we've never gotten a chance to play quality non-East Coast teams," Larsen added.

All in all, there seem to be many reasons to be excited about this year's women's hockey team. "We have an amazing group of players with a lot of talent," Amidon said.

If that sort of confidence isn't enough to get you out to Dayton Arena, at least come to see the uniforms. "The new Bauer apparel rules," Larsen and Wieschhoff boasted.