Suffolk University women’s hockey will be without their leading scorer Alexia Hill going into the postseason after falling to Western New England University 6-2 Feb. 14.
Hill and Liliana Moose have been scoring in bunches for the Rams. Moose and the rest of the offense will look to make up for the loss of Hill.
The Rams started their season off hot, notching four straight wins at the beginning of the season in November. They were not able to sustain that momentum, hitting a rough stretch of games in January.
The Rams have not let it derail their season. They are 5-9-2 in conference games and that’s good enough for the No. 6 seed and a trip to the Conference of New England tournament.
“We know those games matter the most, so we prepare hard and stay disciplined,” said Hill about the team’s performance in conference play. “When we stick to our game plan, we’ve been able to take advantage of those conference matchups.”
The Rams’ best win of the season came in January against sixth ranked Endicott College. In a 3-2 victory, Laurel Potter scored once and Jenna Caballero scored twice, including the game winner with 16 seconds left. Hill and Moose are credited with assisting the game winner. Goalie Katelyn Michals had an impressive 39 saves in the win.
Six of Hill’s team-leading eight goals have come in conference play. This is a big improvement for the second-year player, as she had five goals as a freshman. Hill credits this improvement to her teammates, gaining more experience and her hard work off the ice.
Along with her scoring, she has eight assists on the year, bringing her points total to 16, which is just outside the top 10 in the conference.
“I try to stay patient with the puck and keep my head up. A lot of it comes from chemistry with my linemates and trusting where they’re going to be on the ice. I look to make the simple smart play,” said Hill.
With Hill’s season over, the Rams will have big shoes to fill after a season where she was seventh in the conference in total goals at the time of her injury.
Suffolk will have to overcome the loss quickly with the postseason right around the corner. A big part of their playoff push will be Michals, who leads the CNE in saves.
Her play in the net has been critical to the success of the team. She embraces the leadership role she has as a goalie.
“Every day I try to support my team in the d-zone by making saves, communicating and playing the puck as much as I can,” said Michals. “I take it save by save to not get ahead of myself.”
The team has learned from the tough stretch and looks to put all their focus on the next game. The Rams are tied for No. 5 seed with Curry College with two games left, one of them against Curry. They look to end the season strong and wipe the slate clean for the playoffs.
“Hockey is a game of momentum, so the biggest thing is staying mentally strong and focusing on the next shift, not the past,” said Hill. “Playoffs are a new start, and we’re coming in focused and ready to compete.”
Suffolk ranks third in the CNE in goals per game and will look to keep that momentum going into the playoffs without Hill.
With two games left in the season, the Rams will play Curry College Feb. 20 to decide the No. 5 seed in the conference, the first round will start Feb. 25.
