Women's hockey hopes to drown Lakers

Ask, and you shall receive. Head coach Jeff Kampersal '91 and the women's ice hockey team (4-2-2 overall, 2-1-1 Ivy League) wanted to show their abilities against two of the top teams in the country last weekend — and they did. A win over No. 9 in the ECAC, Clarkson (10-3-1), and a tie, after a heartbreaking recalled goal just before the buzzer, with No. 1 St. Lawrence (8-0-1), were more than the Tigers could have expected, but they aren't sitting back and enjoying the glory.

"I hope the girls took time to enjoy the weekend, but once practice rolled around on Monday, that weekend was in the past," Kampersal said.

While most people will still be recovering from the Thanksgiving food coma, the Tigers will be back at Baker Rink, facing off against No. 7 Mercyhurst both Friday and Saturday. And though Princeton has challenged teams far ahead of Mercyhurst in the standings, the team isn't treating this weekend any differently than it did the last. This is no time to relax.

"Mercyhurst is an unbelievably strong opponent. We cannot afford any letdowns — physically or mentally. Overall, I think the team took notice that it takes a full 60-minute effort each night to be successful in our league," Kampersal said.

Mercyhurst touts a strong travel record, with no losses and only one tie while away from home, and it won't hold back physically. The Lakers have sat for 148 penalty minutes already this season, and Kampersal is hoping to keep his team out of the box in order to capitalize on the Tiger power play, a skill the team has diligently honed over the past few weeks.

Though the Tigers have climbed two spots in the ECACHL rankings and now sit in sixth place above Mercyhurst due to their successful outings last weekend against Clarkson and St. Lawrence, they know not to underestimate Mercyhurst's potential. The Lakers have an especially dangerous bench, with forward Valerie Chouinard, a mere freshman ,leading the team with eight goals and eight assists. Countering Mercyhurst's burst of youthful enthusiasm, however, are Princeton's own junior forward Kim Pearce and senior goaltender Roxy Gaudiel, who were named the ECAC Hockey League's Player and Goaltender of the Week, respectively, on Monday.

The Tigers will continue to look to their strength of character and team bonding to come out strong against the Lakers on a day when most Princetonians will be making turkey sandwiches and going to the mall.

"As a hockey player on campus, except for Christmas, there are no holidays," Kampersal said. "But you learn to make the most of it and appreciate the people you are with."