This week’s Flashback Friday goes to the 2003-04 women’s hockey team.
Back Row: Robin Sheedy, Tara Mullowney, Bronwyn Whyte, Lori Jones, Coreen Jones, Melanie Browne, Loraleah McCarvil
Middle Row: Janelle Craft (Mental Skills and Development). Laura Swan (Trainer), Lauren Appleton, Katy Zimmerman, Leah Merkley, Lindsay Colven, Heather MacDonald, Sarah Beckman, Jen Capes, Ryan Porath (Trainer), Erin Carr (Trainer), Jen Smith
Front Row: Kristen Ladouceur, Amanda Wintink, Paula Oake, Leah Kutcher, Lesley Jordan (Head Coach), Lindsey White, Kerrie Boyle (Assistant Coach), Rachel DeVries, Melissa Vezina, Kate Tweedie, Nicole Doucet
In just in their second season as a varsity team, the women’s hockey team was determined to show the AUS just how far they had come since the previous season. Starting the regular season against perennial powerhouses, the StFX X-Women, the Tigers found themselves on rocky footing with an 0-1 record to start the year. However this loss motivated the Tigers who went on a nine game undefeated streak.
The Tigers next big test would come against the AUS defending champions, Saint Mary’s Huskies. The Huskies had been the unbeatable foe for the Tigers, winning almost every matchup for the last five years. This year’s squad knew that if they wanted to be a contender they had to take the monkey off their back and beat Saint Mary’s. In a back and forth affair, the game was dead even in a 0-0 draw until Tigers rookie Lauren Appleton banged one past the Huskies goalie and provided the game winner. With the win the Tigers confidence grew by leaps and bounds and they followed the victory over Saint Mary’s with two more wins, which would give them a second place ranking in the AUS to close out the first half of the season.
The second half of the season saw the Tigers go 4-3, and it was not without adversity, as starting goalie Jen Smith was lost for the season. Rookie Kristen Ladouceur was then called in to starting duties, and performed admirably, allowing just one goal in the quarter-finals of the AUS playoffs as Dal easily beat Moncton 9-1.
With a quarter-finals victory under their belt the squad was once again tasked with beating cross town rival Saint Mary’s in the semifinal. The battle of Halifax lived up to all the billing as Saint Mary’s was leading with less then three minutes to play before Tigers player Melissa Vezina scored to send the game to overtime. Unfortunately, with 53 seconds left the Huskies snuck one past Ladouceur and won the game 4-3, and ending the Tigers post season dreams.
In just the second season as a varsity team, the Tigers can hold their heads high knowing they pushed the defending champions to the edge and have only a bright future ahead.