This year, the Benilde-St. Margarets girls’ hockey team has high expectations for their season. With six out of eight seniors committed to play college hockey, the team has lots of leadership and experience. Last year, their season ended with a 4-5 loss to Edina in the section finals. This year, the team is looking for revenge and is willing to do whatever it takes.
The team began their season on November 1 with media day. The team gets to take pictures in their gear and bond with one another. The following day, the team had scrimmages, and they were able to see where their development was. They faced off against one of their biggest rivals, Hill Murray. “Our goal going into the scrimmages was to win, and we did, but we were also able to see our strengths and weaknesses as a team and what we need to work on,” junior forward Grace Bendickson said.
Although the team this year has eight strong senior leaders, they are missing a key role that was brought by the 6 seniors from last season. “It’s been tough having them gone, but we carry on some of the same characteristics and fun things that they brought to the team, but we just add a little more of our own touch to it,” senior forward Ella Pasqua said.
Last season, the team was ranked in the top 5 of the MSHSL the whole year. They went into sections as the number one ranked team but unfortunately lost in a hard-fought battle against Edina.“For us, it came into perspective that you have to lay it all out on the ice, no matter what sport you’re playing, and that’s something that a lot of seniors on our team last year commented on after the loss,” Bendickson said.
Reflecting on last year, the team is ready to reach their ultimate goal of making it to state. BSM girls’ hockey hasn’t gone to state since 2014, and this year, the team is ready to change that. “It’s our last year playing and I feel last year we had the mindset of we always have next year, but I think if we play our hearts out and play for each other every game then we can make it to state,” Pasqua said.