The Penn State Lady Icers entered last weekend's ACHA national tournament as underdogs, hoping to surprise a few teams with a deep tournament run.
Though the Lady Icers lost two of their three games at nationals and failed to play the role of Cinderella, the team is already setting its sights on next season.
All but one player who made the trip to Blaine, Minn., will be back next season when the Lady Icers look to build off this year, in which they made it to nationals for the first time since 2007.
Despite the first-round exit after losses to Robert Morris and Rhode Island and a win over Liberty, Penn State was ranked No. 6 in the final ACHA rankings of the year, which is the highest the team has finished since its 2002 semifinals appearance.
The Lady Icers' success this year was even more surprising considering their young roster. Penn State won 12 games this year despite having just one senior and two juniors available for much of the season.
While the inexperience may have caught up to his team on the big stage, coach Mo Stroemel believes the experience will leave Penn State more prepared for a potential return to nationals next season.
"I thought we performed pretty well considering we only had one player who had ever been to nationals before," Stroemel said. "If we go back next year, everyone will have been there, and we'll all be ready."
Stroemel said the Lady Icers' nerves may have gotten the best of them at the start of the tournament but was pleased to see his team adjust as the tournament progressed.
While the team will be losing its top scorer in senior forward Alicia Lepore, the Lady Icers have a lot to look forward to, as several promising young players have shown they are ready to help fill the void in Lepore's absence.
Stroemel said he has already talked with sophomore and second-leading scorer Dana Heller about needing to assume the leadership role next season.
Heller has already shown signs of being Penn State's top offensive weapon after scoring 11 goals this season, including a hat trick in a 5-0 win vs. Buffalo in a game played without Lepore.
In their 1-0 win against Liberty at nationals, the Lady Icers also got a glimpse of freshman Sam Summers' potential. Summers, who had four goals on the season, provided Penn State's lone goal of the tournament when she followed up on several chances before putting the puck in the net in a gritty effort.
Stroemel expects the line of Summers, along with Heller and freshman Kirsten Evans to continue its stellar play and lead the team next season.
"For us, this year, getting to nationals was the goal," Stroemel said. "Next year, we should do even better."
