Girls Hockey
COACH
Ross Dahl (9th year)
ASSISTANT COACH
Mike Markkanen
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2004-05 SEASON
Willmar finished 15-11 overall and third in the Central Lakes Conference with a 7-6 record. Went 1-1 in post-season, bowing out in 5-2 loss to Shakopee in quarterfinals.
OPENERS
Season: 7 p.m. today at Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato (at Litchfield Civic Center).
Home/Conference: 7:30 p.m. Thursday vs. Fergus Falls.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN
(number, name, year, position, 2004-5 goals-assists-points)
Ashley Hutton, freshman goalie
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Sarah Frank, sophomore defense
Victoria Constans, senior forward, 2-1-3
Elizabeth Flickinger, junior defense, 0-1-1
Kelsey Johnson, junior defense, 1-0-1
Amanda Shimek, sophomore defense
Makenzie Anderson, senior forward, 7-7-14
Sara Hulscher, sophomore forward
Jessica Lohrman, senior goalie, 2.89 goals against
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Kelsey Swanson, junior defense, 1-1-2
Ashley Welter, senior forward, 2-0-0
Allie Sweep, sophomore forward
Nikki Serbus, junior defense, 0-1-1
Samantha Sing, sophomore defense
Jessica Torkelson, sophomore forward
Chelsey Wierschem, freshman forward, 9-14-23
Krista Hanson, senior defense, 1-1-2
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Chelsey Bielhartz, junior forward, 10-7-17
Brittin Dahle, senior forward, 0-3-3
WHO GRADUATED
All-time leading scorer Alyssa Dahl (90 goals, 100 assists, 190 career points) and 19-29-48 as a senior, plus forwards Mandi Samuelson (26-11-37,138 career points) and Meghan Sykora (6-8-14). Also lost were defensive veterans Jordan Nielsen (8-9-17) and Gabby Gesch (1-8-9).
OUTLOOK
Sixty percent of the goalscoring and the leading defensive pair have graduated while goalie Abby Schueller (2.97 ga, 13-10-0) is not out. The Cardinals will therefore be breaking in a new goalie, Jessica Lohrman, backed up by Ashley Hutton, who could also see duty at forward. Makenzie Anderson, Chelsey Bielhartz and Chelsey Wierschem will have to step up from a secondary role to carry the scoring load. Bielhartz and Anderson are both strong skaters capable of being a physical presence around the opponent's goal. Krista Hanson, Kelsey Swanson, Libby Flickinger and Nikki Serbus provide experience on defense. Kelsey Johnson is expected to be a big plus on defense with her speed. The program is in transition now that all the players from the back-to-back state tournament teams in 2002 and 2003 have graduated. Coaches had hoped to get a junior varsity program going for the first time this year, but numbers were reduced by several potential players not returning while others off the 14-and-under team chose not to come out. Center Suzie Kuehnast (9-6-15) elected to enroll at national hockey powerhouse Faribault Shattuck for her junior year. Two Central Lakes teams are ranked by Let's Play Hockey: Alexandria is ninth and Fergus Falls 13th, both in Class A.
Tentative lines
Forward Lines: Victoria Constans centering Makenzie Anderson and Ashley Welter ... Chelsey Bielhartz centering Chelsey Wierschem and Brittin Dahl .. Sara Hulscher centering Allie Sweep and Jessica Torkelson/Amanda Shimek.
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Defense: Kelsey Swanson/Krista Hanson ... Kelsey Johnson/Libby Flickinger ... Nicki Serbus/Samantha Sing/Emily Kack
Goalies: Jessica Lohrman, Ashley Hutton
FROM THE COACH
Ross Dahl comments: "We've got some experience, but we'll need to play well in goal and find some additional scoring. We found out in the scrimmages on Saturday that we need to be more aggressive. We beat Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato but they didn't have their goalie, (Annika) Danielson. We skated with Brainerd but Forest Lake outclassed everyone. They had a seventh-grader that was the best players on the ice. It's going to be interesting. With our big scorers graduated this is a changing of the guard. Tori Constans and Makenzie Anderson are our captains and Kelsey Johnson the alternate captain."
