BETWEEN THE PIPES
Still business as usually at Hunt Arena
Posted on Feb 19, 2009
UW-River Falls coach Joe Cranston said the long bus ride home from Hancock, Mich. was all the better after UWRF swepet Finlandia University (Mich.) to claim the NCHA regular season crown.
There was alcohol-free champagne brought on the bus by players and Cranston said it was a lot of fun to be a part of.
Cranston relived some moments, especially recent ones when UWRF was close to claiming NCHA titles. He recalls a loss to UW-Superior in overtimes last season, which ended the Falcons season.
A 3-2 loss to UW-Eau Claire in the regular season finale dashed the hopes of a regular season crown. The Falcons had a 2-0 lead at one point in the game.
This season everything went about as well as planned. From the start UWRF seemed to be the most consistent team night in and night out.
The Falcons have a lot of firepower and use it in a team way. Balanced scoring has been a key. Junior captain Stefanie Schmitz has found her groove of late and when she does not have it, someone else picks up her slack. Jamie Briski is showing no signs of the sophomore slump tallying 13 goals so far this season.
Abby Sunderman has had another solid year and leads the Falcons with 14 goals.
Sophomore Jessica Thompson is third in the NCHA in points with 25 (6 goals, 19 assists), which leads the team and has helped the Falcons become the best offensive team in the conference averaging 4.04 goals a game.
The most important part of UWRF’s success is its defense.
Allowing 1.87 goals a game, third in the NCHA, has been a large part to that especially with No. 1 goalie Cassi Campbell being out of the lineup for a better part of the second half to rest her injured knee.
Campbell should be considered one of the conferences player’s of the year, because when she is in, the Falcons are in every single game.
Her nine wins is second in the conference and has played in six less games than NCHA leader d’Andra Phillips of UW-Stevens Point, who has 10 victories.
Cranston thought the injury she had on Dec. 13 against Eau Claire was career ending, but Campbell, who has had surgery on both knees prior to her college career, did rehab during the holiday break and has been able to rest of late to prepare for the NCHA playoffs.
For the first time since 2003 UWRF will host the conference tournament. The winner of the NCHA regular season gets to host the conference tournament.
The Falcons won the tournament that season, its first and only postseason title.
With the title in hand and home ice for the playoffs, business is still not done.
Two important games are still on tap for the Falcons at Eau Claire this Friday and Saturday.
If UWRF is able to win these two games it could give it a buffer if a slip up in the playoffs were to happen.
A couple of losses and an early exit next week could doom the Falcons, who are ranked No. 8 in the national poll.
Cranston said that 27 points is nothing to be satisfied about because there are still four more points on the table and he has let his team know that.
Celebration occured on Sunday, but the Falcons got back to work this week and have not let up in preparation for the Bluegolds.
They know how important the title is, but at the same time, know there is a bigger prize that needs to be taken.
UWRF will have its final two games this weekend and will not know until Saturday night about the way the rest of the conference pans out.
All that is known for sure is the Falcons have the top seed and will have the advantages of playing at the familiar site of Hunt Arena.
More to come this weekend. The Student Voice has more about the conference clincher on its Web site, so feel free to check it on when the issue comes out on Friday.
Here is the story http://uwrfvoice.com/news/article/womens_hockey_team_wins_first_ncha_title_in_six_years/
Next Friday the Voice will have a complete breakdown of the NCHA playoffs, which will include what to watch for and a season review of all the teams.
It is that time of the year so get ready for the best hockey of the season.