Carleton Ravens women’s hockey head coach Pierre Alain called his team’s frosh week game against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees a “great feeling” despite the 4-1 defeat.
First-year Carleton students, as part of frosh week, packed the Ice House on Sept. 6, with fans alongside the boards and stands in a standing room only sellout.
“It was great,” Alain said. “Fans were great and the players really really liked it. Much appreciated. It was great to have that crowd cheering for the Ravens.”
Alain confirmed it was also the Ravens women’s hockey team’s first-ever frosh game—a sporting event scheduled specifically for frosh week—as students constantly chanted and cheered, singing along as well.
“It’s always nice to see people from Carleton coming out to support,” Ravens goalie Katelyn Steele said. “And it just gives you an extra added pressure, but at the same time, it makes you more excited and hyped for the game.”
When first-year forward Amy Doherty slotted home the opening goal (and her first ever Carleton goal) seven minutes into the game, the crowd roared into applause—“injecting the energy,” Alain called it.
“And we just have to keep going,” he said. “After scoring one, we just have to score two. After scoring two, we have to score three.”
His team didn’t score three, as the Gee-Gees outshot the Ravens 10-5 to the end the first round and found the equalizer. Steele kept her team in the game with a number of saves.
She made two quick saves to start the second as the teams traded penalties in the second before the U of O struck on the power play.
Nieve Seeley replaced her midway through the second as the Ravens pressed for the equalizer —outshooting their opponents 14-6 in the third—but couldn’t find it.
“I think it was better intensity than last week and we’ve had our chances, and we just couldn’t score,” Alain said. “We were creating those scoring chances. We just need to pull the trigger.”
After Ravens defenceman Jennifer Semkowksi cleared the puck over the glass with just under three minutes remaining for a delay-of-game penalty, Ottawa added another power play marker, as well as an empty-netter, to close out the game.
“I think we’re on the right track,” Steele said. “We’re still pretty fresh into our preseason, so I think we can only see it going up from here.”
This season also marks the team’s first ever Colonel By Classic on Nov. 16: a school day game at the U of O’s Minto Sports Complex.
Alain said these events “just create energy and that’s what we’re looking for.” Steele also appreciated the increased recognition.
“Not only for us, but I think for girls’ hockey in general, it’s just huge to be able to be recognized at the same level as the men’s are this year,” she said.
“It’s something I haven’t seen since I’ve been at Carleton,” she added. “It gives us a little bit more energy and a little bit more hype to get ready to go and I think that come the Colonel By game, we’re going to be ready to go and we’re going to play for the fans again.”
The Ravens will take on the Laurentian Voyageurs in two exhibition games on Sept. 15 and 16.
Photo By Jasmine Foong
