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Four Nations Cup awaits select Badgers
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Also by Michael Bleach:
- Hockey unable to beat UMD (December 3, 2007)
- Badgers face rival UMD (November 30, 2007)
- Badgers anxious to end 3 game skid (November 20, 2007)
- Four Nations Cup awaits select Badgers (November 7, 2007)
- Badgers fail to earn sweep at home (November 5, 2007)
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- Top-ranked Badger hockey takes on Wildcats (November 16, 2007)
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by Michael Bleach
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Heading into its bye week, the No. 2 Wisconsin women's hockey team has compiled an impressive 9-2-1 record this season. A large part of that record can be attributed to the play of forwards Meghan Duggan, Erika Lawler, Jinelle Zaugg and goaltender Jessie Vetter.
This week, the USA's Women's Select Team will be counting on those four Badgers to help the team place well at the Four Nations Cup in Leksand, Sweden. Oct. 16, USA Hockey announced that the aforementioned four UW players were included on the 22-player roster and would be competing in this week's tournament.
"I was real excited when I found out I had been selected," Zaugg said. "I was surprised because I don't really know Jackie [Barto] as a coach.
The Badgers — winners of the last two National Championships — have put together a very impressive program under head coach Mark Johnson and will be sending four players to the Four Nations Cup for the first time in UW history.
"We have a good program here," Zaugg said. "We have a lot of good players, and this says a lot about our program."
For Zaugg and Lawler, this will be their second Four Nations Cup, having represented UW last year in Canada. All four Badgers have had experience playing for a USA national team.
Duggan and Vetter represented the United States in a three-game U-22 series between the United States and Canada earlier this year, but this will be the pair's first time playing in Europe.
"The only time I have been out of the country is to Canada," Duggan said. "This will be a good experience, and I get a little taste of their culture."
All four have the resumes to back up the selections.
Zaugg is one of the team captains and was named to the 2006-07 Frozen Four All-Tournament Team. Vetter, another team captain, was the 2005-06 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player. Lawler led all UW sophomores with 38 points last season, and scored 70 points in her first two seasons at UW, and Duggan was named the 2006—07 WCHA Rookie of the Year while being selected to all-WCHA second-team.
"All four of them are very deserving," Johnson said. "They have all worked hard and earned their spots on the team. Hopefully, they will have a good time."
While all four of the girls are excited, they have different expectations about the experience.
"I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high," Zaugg said. "There are a lot of good players, so I just need to go out there and give 110 percent whenever I get a chance to play. I am just excited to be wearing the jersey and getting to play with the team."
"I'm going to just try and have a lot of fun," Vetter said about her expectations. "Obviously our team wants to do well and compete, but I am just going to enjoy the experience and have fun with it."
"I don't really like to set individual goals," Lawler added. "I think that you have to go out there and try not to be nervous, and just be comfortable in a new situation. I'm going to work as hard as I can, and whatever happens happens."
There is one thing that all four agree about — the honor to wear a USA jersey.
"It is a great honor to play for your country," Duggan said. "It is amazing to come together as a team and put that jersey on and go out there and represent your country."
The United States has earned either the gold or silver medal in each of the 10 years it has competed in the Four Nations Cup.
The UW players will also be joined by two Minnesota players, Gigi Marvin and Erica McKenzie — a week after Wisconsin split a series with the opponents.
"It is healthy competition with the Gophers," Vetter said. "You hate to lose to the Gophers, but we have a lot of fun with the girls when we play on the U.S. team with them."
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