COACHES BLOG: VOLLEYBALL AND WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY
The UNH Coaches Blog will be a
weekly feature in which selected coaches share thoughts and
insights about their program. This week’s blog highlights the
women’s volleyball and women’s ice hockey teams.
VOLLEYBALL
This weekend, we have our last two regular season matches at
Lundholm Gymnasium. Saturday at 1:00 p.m. we play Stony Brook
University and on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. we host University of
Maryland Baltimore County. We played both opponents earlier in the
year and lost in five sets to each. We are all fighting for our
standings at the end of conference and if we win both, we’ll
end up taking second in the America East conference!
As the UNH Volleyball season is winding down, I would like to
honor our seniors and thank them for a great four years! Sunday,
November 15th, will be our Senior Day against UMBC. This class has
had an incredible impact on our program and we thank them for
everything they’ve given to UNH Volleyball! They leave us as
a 3,000 assist club member, 3 America East All-Rookie Team
selections, 3 America East All-Conference Selections, 2 Captains,
and 4 wonderful Wildcats!!! Here’s to our PRIDE, POWER,
PURSUIT, and PASSION!!! Thanks to Kirsten Bates, Lindsay Fogarty,
Kelly Harte, and Kate Uitti.
Next weekend the conference championships will be held at the
University of Albany on November 20th and 21st. Be sure to check
the website to see how we’re doing if you can’t make it
or follow us on Twitter at UNHVolleyball. Go Wildcats!
(Jill Hirschinger is in her 14th season as UNH volleyball head
coach. She has recorded more than 200 victories at UNH and
surpassed 600 total in her career.)
WOMEN’S ICE
HOCKEY
After a dozen games, our young squad continues making strides and
finding ways to be successful while improving. Our current 8-1-3
record includes a strong 4-0-1 record in Hockey East which has us
positioned at the top heading into the second half of a busy first
semester.
Offensively, seniors Kelly Paton and Micaela Long have led the
charge. The two linemates have combined for 12 goals and 31 assists
to lead the team and the Hockey East in scoring. For her efforts
Paton was named Hockey East Player of the Month for October. Also
making a statement and leading our young blueline has been junior
Courtney Birchard. With 7 goals and 6 assists to date, Courtney has
been a dominant force and the quarterback on our power play, which
leads the nation in scoring percentage. Special teams continue to
play a huge role in our early season success.
The early returns by our young newcomers have been remarkable and
equally valuable to the team's success. Kristine Horn, Kristina
Lavoie and Brittany Skudder have contributed to our league leading
offensive production this first month while blueliners Kailey
Chappell and Bryanna Farris have done an outstanding job as
freshmen blueliners. It's no secret that the biggest adjustment for
incoming freshmen is on the blue line and these two have responded
exceptionally well.
As with all teams, there are a number of unheralded performers who
have quietly made big contributions. Kelly Cahill, a senior who
converted to the forward position, has been a workhorse and has 11
points after the first 12 games. Junior blueliners Raylen
Dzienglewski and Courtney Sheary have carried big minutes,
especially at key times in tight contests, and they have responded
with some outstanding performances.
Looking ahead we have seven remaining contests before the team
breaks for exams. Hockey East games with Vermont, NU, Providence
and BC will give us a stern test and three non-league games with
Harvard, RPI and Dartmouth will be critical as well.
With the obvious parity and balance we're witnessing across the
country, the challenge we face remains whether we can achieve some
degree of consistency as we close out the first half. The team has
responded so far to its fair share of adversity in terms of injury
and illness that has sidelined a number of our athletes this past
month. Hopefully we can continue to balance improvement with
success as we head into the break.
(Brian McCloskey is in his eighth year as UNH women’s
ice hockey head coach. He also spent nine years as an associate
head coach with the UNH men’s ice hockey team.)
