The St. Thomas University women’s hockey team started the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) regular season with two exciting games on Sept. 6 and 7, facing off against formidable teams including last season’s AUS champions, the University of New Brunswick REDS.
Their first encounter was a 4-1 win over the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers, while the second match resulted in a 3-4 defeat against the UNB REDS.
Rookie Nadia Lavoie had two assists in the Tommies game against the Panthers and notched a goal and another assist against UNB.
“It was a really good weekend,” said Lavoie. “There was a lot of good things that came out of it.”
She mentioned the big win in the home opener and playing close with UNB.
Lavoie spoke highly of her linemates Trinity Webber and Ekaterina Pelowich, calling them “high-end players”.
“I’m really proud of that and having that opportunity to play with them and it’s been really great so far,” she said.
She also gave credit to UNB, who were ranked fourth in the nation ahead of the 2023 U SPORTS Championship last year. Even though the team played a great weekend, Lavoie openly acknowledged what she thinks the team needs to work on for this season.
“I think that we need to work on our defensive zone a little bit,” she said. “And just talking, communicating, and getting our chemistry going and practicing our breakouts.”
Fan support helped the Tommies bounce back from setbacks, she said. STU fans were the loudest in their game against the REDS, even though it was held at UNB’s Aitken Centre.
“All the other [Tommies] teams were there to support us and it felt like we were at our rink so that was really helpful and just hearing them yell and cheer,” she said.
The St. Thomas University International Students Association brought a group of international students to the first battle of the hill to introduce them to Canada’s national winter sport. South Korean exchange student Jaehun Jang shared his thoughts on his first-ever hockey game.
“I’ve never had any interest in hockey, but seeing it in person, I was hooked after the first period,” he said.
“I couldn’t take my eyes off the players and the movement of the puck.”
He also commented on the crowd’s energy in support of the Tommies, inspiring him to watch more games while at STU.
“Being able to see the players up close allowed me to feel their emotions, especially the competition, which made me feel more and more immersed.”
The Tommies next home game is Friday Oct. 21 against the Dalhousie Tigers, followed by a matchup against the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women.
