Sophomore forward Presley Norby knows that as she begins her second season on the No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) she is in a vastly different role than last year.
“I’m helping out the freshman,” Norby said. “I was them not too long ago, so I know how it feels to be in that position and know how nerve wracking it can be playing in front of such a great atmosphere. [I’m] just helping them out.”
The Badgers have exactly eight freshmen for Norby and her teammates to try and mentor. And for multiple stretches of UW’s 3-1 victory over the Lindenwood Lions (0-1), head coach Mark Johnson had five freshmen out on the ice at once.
But while Wisconsin’s season opener was a night full of debuts for over a quarter of the team, it was UW’s sophomores who showed just how important they will be to the Badgers’ success this season.
Norby opened the scoring for Wisconsin less than four minutes into the game, burying the puck that fellow sophomore Abby Roque put on net.
Then with 4:57 remaining in the second period, Roque notched her first goal of the season, scoring on a rebound on UW’s first power play of the game.
The Lions, though, would answer — primarily as a result of Badger penalties. With less than three minutes remaining in the second period, freshman defensemen Grace Bowlby was sent to the box with a slashing penalty. Exactly 17 seconds later, junior forward Sophia Shaver took a penalty as well, giving Lindenwood a 5-on-3 advantage. The Lions would capitalize on that advantage, as Taylor Girard’s shot trickled past Wisconsin goalie Kristen Campbell, cutting UW’s lead in half.
Campbell, a redshirt sophomore, saved eight of her nine chances in her UW debut. According to head coach Mark Johnson, she is expected to start tomorrow as well in the second game of the series.
But on Friday night, UW’s sophomores would continue to carry the way. Just over three minutes into the third period, sophomore defenseman MeKenzie Steffen fired a shot from the left point that grazed off the shoulder of the Lions’ netminder for the third and final Badger goal of the game.
“I think as the kids come back their sophomore year, they’re more comfortable,” Johnson said. “They know what to expect. They know their teammates, they know the schedule. They’ve been around the block now in terms of traveling and playing in different rinks, the players and the teams.”
Johnson said his young team settled in nicely after the first six minutes of the game, but that after one game, his team is still very much a “work in progress.”
The Badgers, though, flashed their potential in the third period, outshooting the Lions 20-0 in the final frame en route to a comfortable victory. They outshot the Lions 51-9 on the night.
Wisconsin has eight freshmen and eight sophomores, but only seven total upperclassmen. And while the Badgers are light on experience, they’re still high on potential.
“They’re always really energetic in the locker room,” Norby said. “And they all work really hard and you can’t ask for anything more than that.”
The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.
