Princeton University Athletics
Women's Hockey Hopes to Continue Recent Success with Strong 2004-05 Season
October 21, 2004 | Women's Ice Hockey
Oct. 21, 2004
Princeton, N.J. - The Princeton women's hockey team begins its 2004-05 season this weekend when it skates in an exhibition game and a scrimmage in preparation for next weekend's season-opening series at Providence.
Princeton hits the ice on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., when they face the North York Aeros at Baker Rink. Last season, Princeton hosted the Aeros in an exhibition game and notched a 7-0 win. On Saturday Princeton visits Yale for a scrimmage.
Season Outlook
Coming off back-to-back 20-win season, the Princeton women's hockey team looks to build off that success with another strong campaign.
How do you replace `the most successful class in the history of the program?' How do you replace your team's leading scorer from the previous three seasons? How do you replace the goaltender with the best statistics in the history of the program?
All of these are questions that Princeton women's hockey head coach Jeff Kampersal has thought about since the conclusion of the 2003-04 season. In order for the 2004-05 season to meet the goals that the previous two seasons set forth, questions have to be answered. The answer though is simple. Everyone will have to step up, raise her game and reach new levels to continue the growth the team has experienced the past two seasons.
Princeton lost five key members of its team to graduation last spring. The group, which led the Tigers to two-straight 20-win seasons, was led by Patty Kazmaier Award Candidate Gretchen Anderson. Anderson led the Tigers in scoring in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons and accounted for 30 goals, 20 assists and 50 points a season ago. Also in the mix at forward were Susan Hobson and Lisa Rasmussen. Rasmussen was the Tigers' third-leading scorer and team captain, while Hobson provided a strong presence, both on the ice and in the lockerroom. On the defensive side, Princeton lost Angela Gooldy, one of the league's top all-around defenders, and Megan Van Beusekom, the holder of virtually every goaltending record in the Princeton record books.
"The Class of 2004 was the most successful class in the history of the program," says Kampersal. "They set the bar for the number of wins, a mark that I hope the future classes will aim for and surpass. "Rasmussen, Anderson, Hobson, Gooldy, and Van Beusekom are names that will forever rank among Princeton's greats and will forever be synonymous with Princeton women's hockey. I am extremely proud of all of them."
In order to fill the gaps left behind by the departures, Kampersal and his coaching staff will turn to a young nucleus to keep the Tigers at the top of the league.
Leading the way will be co-captains Becky Stewart and Heather Jackson. Stewart is one of only three seniors on the team and a regular contributor to the Tiger offense, while Jackson, a junior, is coming off a breakout sophomore year that ranked her second on the team in scoring with 12 goals and 18 assists for 30 points. But beyond the two captains, the coaching staff will be looking to the entire team to step up and shoulder the burden of winning.
"Everyone on the 2004-05 Tigers has strong leadership qualities," says Kampersal. "Ultimately, our team will be led by captains, Becky Stewart and Heather Jackson. Becky is compassionate and a calming influence. She is thoughtful, focused and has the respect of all her teammates. Heather gives our team an edge. She is tough, well-conditioned, and extremely competitive. Together, Becky and Heather are balanced and ready to lead us this year."
Beyond Stewart and Jackson, the Tigers nucleus is comprised of juniors and sophomores. Eight of Princeton's double-digit point-getters are returning and all are expected to increase their production.
FORWARDS
(Returning - 9, Lost - 3, Newcomers - 4)
The first thing you'll notice when you see the 2004-05 Princeton offense in the absence of Gretchen Anderson. As the team's leading scorer in each of the past three seasons, and the eighth all-time leading scorer in team history, Anderson will have to be replaced by the rising players and freshmen to fill in for the 30 goals she accounted for last season. That coupled with 14 combined goals from Lisa Rasmussen and Susan Hobson accounted for 41% of Princeton's goal last season.
"This year we are looking for a more balanced attack from our forwards. We have very good returning players and promising freshman. Right now, we do not have a 30 goal scorer in the group, but we have more symmetry. We have a number of forwards who are capable of getting netting 10-15 goals each and a number of forwards that will put pressure on opposing team's defense with their speed and grit."
Picking up the slack will be Heather Jackson, Becky Stewart and the entire offensive unit. Jackson leads all returnees with 42 career points and was second a season ago with 30 points. Behind her on the list of returning players is the freshman trio of Kim Pearce, Laura Watt and Liz Keady.
Pearce was named the Ivy league Rookie of the Year and to the ECAC All-Rookie team and joined all three as recipients of the ECAC Rookie of the Week award at least twice during the season. Pearce and Watt both scored 10 goals and added 12 assists for 22 points, while Keady added eight goals and eight assists for 16 points, as all three spent much of the season playing together on the same line.
During the summer Jackson, Keady and Watt were all involved in their respective countries Under-22 Camps. Jackson and Keady both played for the United States in the U-22 tournament and Keady registered two goals and an assist in the three-game series. Watt attended the Canadian evaluation camp.
Junior Sarah Butsch and Stewart are the other two returners on an offense that produced double-digit point totals last season. Stewart registered 12 points a season ago and has 26 for her career while Butsch had 14 as a sophomore and has 21 for her career. Both Butsch and Stewart have scored extremely important goals during their careers, including game-winners, power play goals and shorthanded tallies.
Senior April Brown accounted for seven points in 2003-04 and has registered 31 in her career. She is a contributor on offense and can also drop back to the blueline and provide support to the Tiger defensive corps. Juniors Tarah Clark and Sarah Greer, and sophomore Alison Ralph also have made key contributions to the Tiger offense and will be looked upon to make key contributions this season.
In addition to the nine returning forwards, Princeton will welcome four freshmen forwards to the mix. Freshmen Sonja Novak, Micol Martinelli, Marykate Oakley and Brittany Salmon have all excelled at the high school level and should fit right in with the Tiger offense and contribute immediately.
DEFENSE
(Returning - 5, Lost - 2, Newcomers - 2)
The Princeton hockey staff knows that the key to scoring goals this season will be stopping them. If the defense can stop the opposition's offense, and turn the play up-ice, it will provide the offense with the necessary spark to establish play in the opposition's end.
"Our defensemen are smart and mobile," says Kampersal. " We will look for them to defend hard and make good first passes out of the defensive zone."
Coach Kampersal and his staff will look to seniors Katharine Maglione and April Brown to pick up for Angela Gooldy. Gooldy was the leader of the Tigers' defensive corps last season. Both have tremendous experience at defense and have been pivotal in Princeton's success the past two seasons. Brown leads all returning defensemen in scoring with 31 career points, but Maglione is a close second with 24, including 10 a season ago.
Joining the two as returning defensemen are junior Chrissie Norwich and sophomores Dina McCumber and Kate Hession. Norwich has played in every game for the Tigers in her career and has tallied 10 points. McCumber and Hession joined the lineup last season and both made immediate impacts. McCumber paired with Gooldy on the top defensive pairing and saw a lot of power play time as she tallied 10 assists on the season, while Hession appeared in 27 games. Freshman Margaret Jennings will join the group this season and should have an impact form the start of the season.
GOALTENDING
(Returning - 1, Lost - 1, Newcomers - 1)
It always seems to come down to goaltending, and with the loss of Megan Van Beusekom, who tops the Princeton record books in nearly all goaltending categories, it will come down to junior Roxanne Gaudiel and freshman Rebecca Allen.
Gaudiel has seen limited action in her two seasons at Princeton, playing in 14 games and amassing a 7-1-0 record. She has a 1.38 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Her numbers indicate that she is ready to become the team's everyday goaltender and the coaches will look to her to step up and take on the responsibility.
"Just like every other season, our goaltending will have a direct impact on our success this year," says Kampersal. "Roxy is athletic and passionate about her position, plus she has experience. We are looking for Roxy to backstop our team. Rebecca is also athletic and competitive. She will push Roxy, which will ultimately help the both of them."
SCHEDULE
The Tigers will play a very competitive 2004-05 schedule as they look to string together their third consecutive 20-win season. Princeton kicks off the season with two games at Providence and then delves into its ECAC schedule. The Tigers play four weekends at home before Dec. 4 and then have to take care of business on the road as they only have four home games following Dec. 4. Prominent match-ups include games with league foes, Harvard, Dartmouth, St. Lawrence and Brown. Plus non-conference games against Providence, New Hampshire, Mercyhurst, Northeastern and Connecticut.
"We definitely have our work cut out for us this year," says Kampersal. "Our ECAC Hockey League opponents are always tough and we have a competitive non-league schedule. We get to enjoy the friendly confines of Baker Rink during the first semester, and then we are on the road 10 of our last 14 games. Every game will be a battle, but we are looking forward to each challenge."