Frustration ultimately describes the 2009-10 season best for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team. In a season ridden with inconsistency, the women’s hockey team could only show glimpses of the national champions they were in previous years.
With head coach Mark Johnson taking the year off to coach the U.S. Olympic National team and senior forward Meghan Duggan and junior forward Hilary Knight also on the Olympic team, the squad’s roster was shaken up.
When it was all over, UW never seemed fully able to adjust to the changes.
In the season opener, UW lost 2-0 against North Dakota, but followed that with a 3-0 win — setting the tone for its season. Throughout the regular season, the Badgers split 11 of 17 series ending with an 18-13-3 overall record.
Wisconsin normally outshot its opponents and had many scoring opportunities, but was just unable to find the back of the net, causing UW to split as many series as it did.
“We out shot them, we just didn’t put the puck in the net, and that’s been the running theme for this year,” interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser said.
While the season was mostly frustrating, there were moments when the Badgers showed their full potential. Earning two series sweeps on the season, the squad got their first against then-No. 2 Minnesota, giving the Golden Gophers their first loss on the season.
With the sweep — and a later split — the Badgers proved they had the ability to beat anybody in the nation.
“Our split with Minnesota last weekend is a good indicator that we can play and beat anybody in the country,” DeKeyser said leading up to the WCHA playoffs. “Hopefully our players believe in that and build on that.”
Though their full potential was realized against Minnesota, they still struggled to beat inferior teams.
After an impressive 6-1 win over Bemidji State in the Camp Randall Hockey Classic, Wisconsin was shut out 2-0 in the second game of the series. The frustration was overbearing.
“It’s frustrating when you go from a win like that to a loss like that,” freshman goalie Becca Ruegsegger said after the series finale. “Our team worked hard and generated a lot of offense, so I personally feel like I need to be better, and we need to rebound.”
Ending the season fourth in the WCHA and ranked No. 10 nationally, UW had a fight ahead of it in the postseason.
Much like the way their season went, the Badgers were troubled with inconsistency throughout their short postseason run, which ended over the weekend as Ohio State swept the squad in two overtime games at the Eagle’s Nest in Verona.
“We were inconsistent throughout the majority of the season, and that’s why we didn’t have the success we wanted,” DeKeyser said after the season-ending loss. “Hopefully they take that message and… we come back next year ready to go.”
The loss meant for only the second time in the last five years, the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team did not claim the national crown. Though, if you think the 2009-10 season was a forgetful one, you would be very much mistaken.
For DeKeyser — who has been a part of the women’s hockey program at Wisconsin since its inception as a program in 1999 and was a part of all the national championship teams — the 2009-10 season offered multiple career highlights.
Fortunately, many of the team’s dedicated fans were able to share in the experiences as well.
In the first of two marquee matchups on the season, the Badgers welcomed the 2010 U.S. Olympic National Team for an exhibition game on Jan. 5 at the Kohl Center.
Team USA brought with them sabbatical Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson along with seven current and former Wisconsin Badgers in Meghan Duggan, Hilary Knight, Molly Engstrom, Erika Lawler, Jessie Vetter, Kerry Weiland and Jinell Zaugg-Siergiej.
Though the game wasn’t much of a contest, with the US winning 9-0, the record attendance of 6,085 was hardly disappointed with the unique “homecoming” atmosphere, as three Badgers netted goals while two others recorded assists in the game.
A self-proclaimed “sucker for the Olympic games,” DeKeyser said afterwards that it was the highlight of her career, despite the loss.
However, that experience would be topped just a month later.
Wisconsin hockey returned to its roots Feb. 6 when the Badgers welcomed Bemidji State to Camp Randall Stadium for the first outdoor hockey game in women’s WCHA history.
The largest crowd in women’s college hockey history of 8,263 people braved the cold to watch UW trounce the Beavers 6-1, in what was perhaps their best performance of the season.
The Badgers showed many facets of their game, as goals were scored in a variety of ways. Sophomore forward Carolyne Prevost scored the first-ever goal in Camp Randall Stadium on a one-on-one opportunity with the goaltender. Four other Badgers would tally goals in the game — including two seniors, Jasmine Giles and Kyla Sanders.
After the game, DeKeyser conceded that the Team USA exhibition game had been overthrown by the Camp Randall Hockey Classic as the highlight of her career.
“This one beat that one,” she said. “Not only because we won — we didn’t lose 9-0 — but because it was a unique once in a lifetime opportunity. That is now my favorite moment from the season.”
As the bronze trophy lay tucked under her arm after the game, Giles relished in the atmosphere and was thankful to enjoy the ride with her teammates.
“It was amazing,” she said. “It was a dream come true. Just to be out there with my teammates — we had a really fun time. I guess that’s all that really matters.”
