With the hockey season just beginning, and winter underway, the Edina Girls’ hockey team began their season last month. Playing against Robbinsdale Armstrong, they won 10-1. This is just the start of a promising season for the Edina Girls Hockey Team. With a successful past two years (both of which they made it to sections), the team has high expectations for the upcoming season.

“I think we will do pretty well this year because of our team chemistry, and the skill that we all provide,” said EHS senior Shannon Petersen, who is part of the team.

The team has gotten really close this year and features a lot of talented players. This includes senior Taylor Williamson, who has been a member of the team for four years. Williamson scored five of the ten goals at the Robbinsdale game, and is admired by her teammates. She has already committed to play for the University of Minnesota.

New up-and-coming members on the team also offer a lot of promise. “There are a lot good younger players this year with a lot of talent and a strong work ethic,” said senior team member Katie Murney. When asked about promising new girls on the team, she mentioned Emily Oden and Grace Bowlby.

Despite the pressure of living up to the Edina name, teammates commented that they are more focused on improving as a team. “I honestly don’t pay much attention to expectations because I think that our own expectations are more important than external expectations,” said Murney.

One of the team’s goals is to beat their rivals Eden Prairie this year. “We have made it to the section finals, and have played EP both years, but have lost both years, and so this year I am hoping to beat them this year in the section finals,” said Petersen.

The Edina Girls’ hockey team meets three to five days a week for practice depending on games. The girls endure high paced practices to help them stay continuously in competition mode.

“We also do a lot of game-situation drills to practice scoring and battling in front of the net,” said Murney. They also work on special teams, which is power play and penalty kill the day before the games.

In addition, the team plays intense scrimmages of three on three to up the intensity of their roles, teaching them to cover a wide area and constantly think.

With time and practice, they hope to do even better than last year. “I am feeling really good about the start of the season because we are in pretty good shape and as a team we have really good skill,” said Petersen.