siouxfan44

Jessica Kovacevich (Alaska) and Marissa Hanglesben (North Dakota) will be participating as well....

There will be a UND Alumni game being held at the Ralph Friday, November 20, 2009 at 7pm. Many of the alumni are slated to come back: Fingland, Devon (Manitoba) Bakhit, Stasia (Nebraska) Girtz, Anne (Minnesota) Nelson, Meaghan (North Dakota) Strong, Abbey (Michigan) White, Sherrie (Manitoba) Hasbargen, Amber (Minnesota) Cecko, Laura (Minnesota) Funk, Liz (Minnesota) Hinkley, Margaret-Ann (Alberta) Cutcliffe, Rachel (Prince Edward Island) Carlson, Christy (Minnesota) Hanson, Casie (Minnesota) Jaques, Melissa (Manitoba) Cook, Andrea Turner, Sam (Minnesota) Paulson, Ashley (Wisconsin) Schirado, Jade (North Dakota) Dianoski, Melissa (Alaska) Gagnon-LaPlante, Alexia (Quebec) Yorga, Amber (Minnesota) Connelly, Sarah (Minnesota) They will be playing the current team in a sportsmanlike, friendship game. Great to see this amount of players coming back, and some even flying from as far away as Arizona and Quebec!!! Too bad fightingsioux is not promoting this event as I'm sure some of the players were at some time fan favorites and haven't been back in years. Regardless, have fun and welcome back ladies!!

I heard Porter might not come back because he and Brekke from the women's team are having a child in the fall.

Little definately wasn't a surprise. He played strong ALL season. Boyce on the other hand seems a little out of the blue, I'm sure there was someone more rewarding then him to deserve that honor.

Vaudreuil...sometimes it's hard to tell what the commentators are saying when all they say is...here we go again, everytime he touches the ball!!

Listened to the game, and it sounded like the guys played horrible. Emmanuel seemed to have a good game, but that was about it. They just couldn't shut down Boudrey, not one of our bigger guys could step up and keep him contained. Travis was out for awhile with his knee, and the guys kept missing key 3's. During the half time interviews the coach said that Boyce was bringing it down the court too slowly, and they needed him to step up, lead the team into a faster game, but clearly that didn't happen. Kruse also, didn't seem to exsist on the court tonight. It's a shame, but it looks like we'll be heading back there on Wednesday, hopefully they'll change some key strategies.

My favorite players to watch are Youmans, Koenig and Doyle. Unfortunately all have been out of the line up lately. Youmans continuously works hard, and has great ball control. Koenig is a very physical presence on the floor, and dominates under the net. Doyle's shooting is second to none, and reads the play very well. My least favorite player to watch is also Boyce. He's a strong player but as bigsiouxfan said, his antics on the court are undesirable. I find that his actions overshadow his play, and sometimes throw him off his game. However, the team has been doing very good lately, and are having a strong last stretch. Go Sioux.

I don't think it's a matter of airing dirty laundry, but it's more of trying to bring awareness to the problems that are at hand. The reason why I'm so upset about this is that Bunning and others are making false problems, and saying everything can be solved by reaching maximum scholarship, but none of that is the problem at all.

I think the fact that the girls are dropping like flies should be saying something. Bunning obviously won't listen, or is choosing not too. So here it is for him loud and clear: the seniors on the team WERE NOT complaining about ice time number one. Number two the girls have been trying to fire their coach for the past 2 years, and no one has done anything about it except make remarks such as "they're complaining" or "it's the ones who aren't getting ice time" or "once there is the full 18 scholarships the problems will be solved". My question is how are you going to get to 18 scholarships when there won't be a team to give them to? For once it'd be nice for the administrators to LISTEN to what the girls are telling them, last time I checked a 2-23-2 record in the WCHA isn't just "bitching and complaining". Someone should email this forum to Bunning, so he can get in tune with what's going on in the athletic community.

The women's program is at the very bottom of the barrel. With a roster that on paper would impress any team they had to play, they are definately not performing. Do I blame the girls? Some might, however I don't. The head coach is not qualified, and she does not know what she is doing. The assistant coaches however do. If you speak to Froats or Colontino for 30 seconds you know they have their heads on straight, and know what hockey is all about. If you talk to Rivard, it sounds like she's got a great plan, but has no way to execute it. If anything she's executing players....more players have quit or been cut than have graduated...does this not say anything for the program? Sadly, the "team" that could be made from the players cut/quit would rival the current team right now. How long do we have to go before the head coach is fired? If the players don't respect her, which they don't if you ask ANY of their parents, then how can we as fans respect her? Even when you ask the players if they like it, or if they are having fun, they usually look at one another, as if they are sharing some joke or not sure if their TRUE response will get back to the coach, and say "uh..oh...yeah...um, it's great!" with a fake smile plastered on their face. How are we going to have a good team when the players themselves are telling recruits not to come? How are we going to have a good team when the MEN'S players are telling their little sisters not to come? Say goodbye to the dream of the Lamoureux sisters, they've moved on to greener pastures. If you ask me the women's hockey program is a joke right now. No, I don't think women playing hockey is a joke, but I think something needs to be done with this program for it to contend with the best teams, and it definately has the potential...just get rid of the coach. Some reading this will probably think I'm making outlandish comments that have no base, however, I HAVE talked to the girls in their truest form, and DO know their opinions. These girls aren't bitching and complaining, as they have been accused of doing in the past, they have legitimate complaints...did anyone know that Rivard made them run the 5K in the 2003-2004 season outside...until December...in knee deep snow? That sounds productive, it wasn't until the Track coach stepped in and said that they were packing down the snow that they were allowed to stop. Did anyone else know that the men's team watch their practices and call it "the circus", they think it's a joke, and they say the practice has no structure, and is more entertainment than anything else because it is so ridiculous looking. I'm sorry to rant, but as a parent of a child who looks up to these girls, I am at my wits end with this program. I don't care if they lose every game, I care that they are able to play to their optimum potential...and for the past 3 years, they haven't been, and I don't blame the girls. It'll be interesting to see who quits this year, and what survivors are left to keep the team alive.

A win today! Congrats ladies, and was it EVER a win. Those Wooster sisters sure lit it up today. Margaret played VERY well in nets, she's coming out of nowhere and challenging Hasbargen's number 1 spot, good for her for making a mark. Let's do it again tomorrow ladies, they finally look like they're meshing.

what are you predictions for this weekend? Sioux Sweep? Beaver Sweep? Split. I'm going with a split because I think the beavers will take the first game, and the Sioux will come out on top Sunday. Hopefully we'll see Bowers back on forward...she just doesn't seem to fit Defense...and Fingland permanently back to Defense, she's too strong as a Defender not to have her there. Johnson could go either way, she's strong on both and where is Christey Allen? I haven't seen her on the bench or game sheet since Ohio? I'm assuming it must be an injury as she is one of our strongest defense and definately our MOST consistant. I'd really like to see a goal from the Hopps, Girtz, Allen line this weekend, they're definately due, and are making a big impact on the ice. Here's hoping...go sioux.

At meet the sioux Sarah Connelly and Melissa said they were not going to play because of eligibility reasons. I think that their absence contributes to the women's losses but it is only a minor factor. The freshman class is a strong year, but for some reason two players who have gotten a lot of points, or created a lot of opportunity (Alyssa Johnson and Samantha Bowers) have been put back on Defense? Then one of our strongest defenders (Devon Fingland) was put to Forward? It seems as though the absence of Johnson and Samantha on forward have made an impact on how many points we get, as the Wooster sisters can't do it alone. I'm sorry I sound so negative towards the women's program this year, but it is hard to find a positive in their preformance thus far this season.

I think that with the new Athletic director, he might not switch up the coaching staff of the teams unless it seems incrediably necessary. However, I have heard that there is internal conflict on the team regarding the coaching staff, but again that is hear say information, and I have no basis as to whether that is true or not. This might explain some of performances of the women's team though, as it is hard to play without a united team. Just a suggestion? If none of this is true, then perhaps this team just doesn't mesh well, because as I have said before, and others have said, this years team seems to be comprised of individual players trying to do it themselves. Not trying to knock the girls, but this is what it looks like from the stands. Perhaps Rivard needs to come up with a new strategy for the new year, and our team will start fresh as January rolls around. Sometimes the girl's just look tired (2 lines are rolled continuously, with the 3rd 90% of the time, and the 4th has yet to see ice), so hopefully they'll rest up and January will be a new year for Fighting Sioux Women's Hockey.

The coaches cover the prime areas for women's hockey. It's odd there are no Ontario, or more Quebec players yet though, as they are bigger hockey hot beds than Minnesota or any other state or province. I don't think it is a problem of the coaches not covering enough area, but it's a problem with the recruits not wanting to come play for North Dakota. When they are being offered scholarships at bigger, WINNING, schools, it's hard to draw the big players, even with the Englestad. Most players don't want to come to a school that is 0-12-2 right now, and after Bemidji will just have to play the same teams over again. Regarding the back to back games, NCAA doesn't allow it due to ice prep.