As the 2005-2006 hockey season nears its end, the Lindenwood University Women’s Hockey team has yet to admit that it has been a successful season. Their overall record of 24-3-0 leads the nation in points and their goals for versus goals against differential of +144 are also tops in the country. They have the ACHA points leader for the second year in a row in team captain Kat Hannah with 79 points closely followed by line mates Amy Dlugos with 58 points good for the #2 spot in the Country, and Melanie Keith with 45 points coming in 4th overall. Along with those top forwards, Katie Kells who made the switch from defense to forward this year is having the best point total of her career. “I think the play we have gotten from “Kellsie” this season has been nothing short of great. It was frustrating for her at first going from one of the best defensemen in the league to learning a new position. But she bought into the system and is now one of the top centers in the league,” said head coach Vince O’Mara.
The lady lions also boast two of the top goalies in the country in Michelle Borsa and Jennelle Stam. “Even though they are both freshmen goaltenders, they have come in and added something that we desperately needed this year, a Goalie that can win us that big game. And we have two of them now,” O’Mara said. And on defense the Lady Lions have arguably the best defensive pairings in the league. “Veronica Metcalf is our leader back there. She works hard no matter if it is a practice or a game. Sarah Wilkinson has really stepped up her play. I think it would be hard to find someone playing better defense than Sarah has been playing over the last month or so,” O’Mara said.
With all of that, you would think that the Lindenwood University Women’s Hockey Team would think they have had a great year. That is what anyone that has followed this team would think, but not the players or coaches. They set a goal for themselves from the very start this season and that is to compete for the National Championship. “If we finish the season loosing in the quarter finals again this year, then yes it would be a disappointing season. There has been a lot of talk about how well we have done in such a short period of time. That is true but we have a team this year that is capable of winning the whole thing and I think the girls feel that and will not settle for anything less than our best showing ever at Nationals,” O’Mara said.
The National Championships will be hosted by Lindenwood University this year at the Lindenwood University Ice Arena in Wentzville, MO. The Lady Lions will begin play on Thursday March 9th at 11:15 AM against #7 ranked Western Michigan University. And will play their second game that same evening at 7:15 PM versus #11 North Dakota State University. After those two games, the times for the remaining games will be determined.
You can check out the complete game schedule on the women's ice hockey home page, or call the Arena at (636) 332-4600.
