Women’s Ice Hockey Launches Season against Northeastern Tonight
Terriers aiming for turnaround after last year’s disappointing record
When the BU women’s ice hockey team officially began practice almost two weeks ago, it was a turning point for tri-captain Sammy Davis. A bilateral labral tear had kept her sidelined all last season, so putting on her red and white jersey marked the end of a long recovery.
“This is really happening,” Davis (CGS’17, Sargent’19) says she told herself. “I finally get to play.”
That moment was made even sweeter when Davis and her teammates schooled the Durham West Jr. Lightning, 7-0, in an exhibition match last Friday. The Terriers are hoping that early win is a harbinger of what lies ahead in the regular season, which begins tonight when they host Northeastern at Walter Brown Arena. They’ll be looking to turn around a disappointing 2017-2018 season as they take on their cross-town rival.
The BU team’s record last year (14-17-6) was the first sub-.500 one since the 2007-2008 season and the worst since 2005-2006 (12-17-4). With the loss of an outstanding senior class, led by two-time New England Division I All-Star Rebecca Leslie (Questrom’18) and 2018 Patty Kazmaier Award finalist Victoria Bach (CGS’16, COM’18), the Terriers face an inevitable challenge. Leslie and Bach were responsible for 124 of the team’s 305 points (40.7 percent) last season, and that hole isn’t going to be easy to fill.
“It has to be twofold,” says head coach Brian Durocher (Wheelock’78). “It has to be done by committee…and there’s got to be a step-up mentality. Whether it’s a freshman, a sophomore, or a junior, my hope is that that there will be people that take that step this year.”
It’s hard to imagine the Terriers improving markedly over last season without their superstars, but Durocher says that lackluster season is fueling his team this year. “There’s always an innate hunger when you have a year that wasn’t up to the standards we like them to be,” he says. “It’s going to be a year where whatever accomplishments we get have got to be done by the team.”
That could require a series of changes, he says. “I’m hoping that this might be the first time we almost flip the table, and go goalie-out-forward.” Whereas past seasons saw clear-cut offensive leaders, BU may rely on the strength of its goalkeeping and defense—then the offense-by-committee—to find success. It’s a sensible consideration, given the prowess the players at the defensive end have demonstrated.
After a Hockey East All-Rookie season, Corinne Schroeder (Sargent’21) returns with international experience with Hockey Canada, and Abby Cook (CGS’18, Sargent’20) will look to build on her last season performance as a New England Division I All-Star.
None of this is to ignore the talents on the other end: forward Jesse Compher (CGS’19) gained international experience with USA Hockey over the summer, after a freshman season that earned her a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team. Another offensive talent to watch is Davis, who was a key contributor during her freshman and sophomore years, as noted by a Hockey East All-Rookie Team honor.
Alongside Davis, Reagan Rust (CAS’20) and Natasza Tarnowski (Sargent’20) complete this year’s captain roster. It’s an interesting combination: while Davis missed all of last season, Rust hit the ice as a Terrier for the first time last year, as a transfer from Rochester Institute of Technology. Despite the differences among the three captains, Durocher says, they’ve all been chosen for their hard work and competitiveness.
The trio will be responsible for mentoring this year’s seven freshmen—one defender, two goalkeepers, and four forwards—while guiding the rest of the 23-member roster.
“We definitely have different goals set out,” Tarnowski says, “but it starts with the little things, like practice, making sure that we’re consistent…. I think that’s the good thing about our goals. They’re not materialistic goals; they’re process-oriented goals that will allow us to reach our ultimate goal.”
The Terriers know they face a formidable competitor in this weekend’s two home games against Northeastern: last season’s Hockey East Tournament champions, the Huskies were selected second in the conference preseason poll. At fifth in the poll, the Terriers sit at the middle of the table.
“They’re gonna be good,” Tarnowski says.
“Yeah, Northeastern’s always good,” Davis agrees. “We always give each other good games. That’s the game that everybody’s super-excited for.”
The BU women’s ice hockey team hosts Northeastern tonight, Friday, October 5, at 7 pm, and Saturday, October 6, at 3 pm, at Walter Brown Arena, 285 Babcock St. Admission is free for students with a sports pass, $5 for faculty, staff, and students without a sports pass, and $8 for the general public. The Patriot League Network will broadcast the game live.
Jonathan Chang can be reached at jchang19@bu.edu; follow him on Twitter at @jonathanychang.
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