"Our goals are to win Ivies, ECAC and to make it to the Final Four," captain Shannon Bowman '09 said.
The return of seven seniors will be a key asset for the team this year. Led by Bowman and fellow captain Sarah Newnam '09, the seniors look poised for a strong final campaign.
"We've been through a lot together over the last three years," Bowman said. "We all want to finish strong and have a great last season. The seven of us bring a lot of leadership to the team, and everyone really adds something different."
The team will again look to goalkeeper Carli Clemis '09 as a defensive keystone. Clemis had 28 starts for the Big Green last year on her way to a 13-8-6 record, with a 2.54 goals-against average.
Clemis has a career 2.17 goals-against average -- good for all-time second in Dartmouth's record books -- and 41 career wins for fourth all-time.
Backing up Clemis will be goalies Sarah Kennedy '10 and Mariel Lacina '10.
Forward Maggie Kennedy '09 will return as another important veteran. Kennedy had an immense season last year, scoring 39 points in 33 games. She led the team with 23 assists led the team, while her 16 goals made for the second highest tally on the squad. Kennedy's performance earned her second team ECAC honors.
Joining Kennedy on second team ECAC was Jenna Cunningham '10, whose season last year was cut short by a serious knee injury. Cunningham nonetheless managed to tally 37 points, despite appearing in only 17 games. The forward tallied 6 points in a game against Mercyhurst last season, with three goals and three assists.
"Some of our other goals include being a team that plays consistently, that has a great work ethic, that improves as the season progresses and that challenges itself to become better," Cunningham said.
Forward Sarah Parsons '10, last season's third leading goal-scorer, will also return this year. Parsons was chosen for the preseason ECAC Hockey All-League team by the 12 coaches of ECAC Hockey. This was the second consecutive selection for Parsons, who won a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics competing with the United States women's hockey team in Turin, Italy.
Other returning forwards include Marley McMillan '09, Sarah Toupal '10, Amanda Trunzo '11, Alyssa Boehm '11 and Larissa Roche '11.
Returning defenders include Newnam, Katie Gray '09, Julia Bronson '09, Sue Schmitz '10 and Katie Horner '11.
The Big Green lost three players -- Nicole Ruta '08, Carrie Thompson '08 and Amy Cobb '08 -- to graduation, but the loss should be offset by the strength of the team's new freshmen. Seven new skaters have joined the Big Green, including forwards Kelly Foley '12, Jenna Hobeika '12, Brittany Mills '12, Erica Dobos '12, and Reagan Fischer '12. The new defenders are Moira Scanlon '12 and Geneva Kliman '12.
"[The freshman players] all look great right now," Bowman said. "They all got some playing time against McGill, so they've had a chance to play at the tempo of a college game."
Last weekend, the Dartmouth women's hockey team took on McGill University in an exhibition match, falling 3-2 to the visitors from Montreal. McGill is the defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport National Champion and is currently ranked first in the CIS women's hockey tables.
With the large number of new players on the roster, the team will have the benefits of reserve platers for later in the season.
"Having extra players is something new for our team, and so far we've had a great team dynamic," Bowman said. "We've always been a competitive team in both practice and games, so we'll be trying to keep up that good dynamic and that competitiveness all season."
On the other hand, the team will also have to keep a few skaters on the bench each game.
"People sitting is part of hockey," Bowman said. "We're a really cohesive team, and everyone pays their dues, so depending on who we are playing we will have the best 20 players on the ice for that game."
Bowman explained that having a deep roster will help curb late-season injuries.
"It will also help with injuries, since the past couple years what has happened is that, by the time we get to the final eight, we are pretty beat up, so it will be good to have those extra bodies available," she said
The Big Green is currently ranked sixth in the national polls, having moved up from eighth place in the opening poll.
Topping the polls is Western College Hockey Conference powerhouse University of Wisconsin (9-0-1, 5-0-1 WCHA), which took over the top spot when it knocked off No. 2 University of Minnesota (5-2-1, 4-1-1 WCHA) last weekend.
Defending national champion the University of Minnesota-Duluth (4-3-1, 2-3-1 WCHA) is currently ranked seventh nationally.
Ivy League and ECAC rival Harvard is currently ranked third, while fellow ECAC members Saint Lawrence University, Clarkson University and Cornell are ranked ninth, 10th and 13th, respectively.
The women's hockey team opens the season away this weekend, matching up against Princeton on Friday and Quinnipiac University the following day.
Bowman said the team is looking forward to its first road trip.
"We're just excited to start our season," Bowman said.
