Tensions have been building for the last home game of the season since the first puck of the season dropped October 11.
In the third face off between CU-Boulder in the 2013-14 season the CSU women’s hockey team will look to extend the series winning streak Friday at 8p.m. at Epic. The Rams hold a 2-0 lead over the Buffalos with a 4-1 and 2-1 victory from the first half of the season.
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“When we come out and enjoy ourselves that is when everything gets easy,” head coach Chris Burch said. “That is what we do best, play hockey.”
Friday is not only a battle between Colorado’s best but it is an opportunity for CSU to honor the graduating seniors. The Rams have eight seniors this year while two of them have been with this team through the last four years accomplishments and struggles.
“For the team it is kind of the passing of the torch,” Burch said. “It really is hard to describe what tomorrow will hold for senior night. I am looking forward for the next step but at the same time I am definitely sad about losing these players because I would like to keep them for ten years.”
For senior Claire Tegl, senior night is not only her way of passing the torch from skates to her ambitions in a vastly approaching career it is a farewell of four years as a women’s hockey player.
“I am going into tomorrow with the attitude of it being my last home game, the attitude that we are going to go in and kick some butt and to really go out with a bang,”Tegl. It is very sad. I am sad to leave the team that is becoming a team that can go to nationals and compete against some of the best. I helped develop this team.”
The 2013-14 season was based around making nationals and defining a the team for future years. Currently CSU rounds out the top 15 with Minnesota,Vermont, Davenport and Colorado in ACHA Division I, behind No.10 Northeaster, No.9 Michigan State and No.8 University of Michigan
At this point in the season CSU needs several teams to lose in order to make the tournament, while the chances are extremely low. Though this is not holding the Rams back from finishing the season off strong.
“Not only is it going to be a huge boost for everyone but it is going to be a nice cap,” Burch said. “A strong start if how we started this season and that is deffinitly how we are looking to end it. It would almost seem perfect for us to go out and put two games against them(CU).”
Break Out: CSU women’s hockey seniors
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Amanda Vandenber: Goalie
Breanna Snyder: Forward
Jamie Winter: Defense
Claire Tegl: Forward
Brooke Valbert: Forward
May Wilkerson: Forward
Alexandra Kuhn: Forward
Nellie Brown: Defense
Collegian Assistant Sports Reporter Haleigh Hamblin can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @haleighhamblin.
