Eye on the Prize: 2025 ACHA Tournament Preview
The Wolverines embark on their second consecutive ACHA National Tournament appearance on Tuesday (Mar. 18) against No. 2 Maryville.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – In 2024, the University of Michigan-Dearborn women's ice hockey team made their way to St. Louis, Mo., eyes wide without knowing what to expect. For a team that had just gotten their feet under them at the Division I level, some might have believed the ACHA Tournament was an afterthought. The Wolverines would eventually bow out in the quarterfinal round after an 8-1 decision against the eventual national champions, Adrian College. What began as excitement and gratitude quickly turned to motivation and a burning desire to prove that this wasn't a fluke and the Wolverines were here to stay.
Interim Head Coach Carrie Sirola utilized the trip to build connections and set the Wolverines up for success in the 2025 season. "Last year, our team was just happy to make it," Sirola said. "This year, we know what to expect as far as the competition; we've played seven of the 11 teams [this season], and we know we can compete with all of them." Sirola's gauntlet of a schedule saw the Wolverines go 7-8-3 against teams competing in St. Louis this week, including finishing 7-1-2 in their final 10 games. "Everyone has bought into our desire to win," said captain Cadence Pero. "Our motivation is never to be content; we aren't content with just being at nationals, we're here to win and this is the attitude that our team is bringing into our games this week."
Scouting the Field
The Wolverines will be featured in Pool B, facing two familiar opponents. They will square off against No. 2 Maryville University in Tuesday's opener. Early in the season, the Wolverines lost both matchups against the Saints. The Saints won 2-0 on a pair of late goals and had a decisive 4-1 victory the following day. The Saints are led by the nation's top player, Haley Beckett, who leads the ACHA with 48 points. Kaitlyn Cadrain tends the crease for the Saints as she sports a 12-5-1 record and a 2.03 goals-against average.
The following day, the Wolverines will take on No. 11 Miami (OH). In the three meetings this year, the Wolverines hold a 2-0-1 record, including a 1-0 victory in the CCWHA Tournament Semifinals. The Redhawks front three have the bulk of their points; Bryn Jones leads the team in goals with 14, while Lauren Smith and Laura Labarre are tied for the team lead with 14 assists. Smith holds the narrow lead in points with 24, while Jones and Labarre have 23 and 22, respectively.
Maya Gonzalez has been a mainstay in the net, appearing in 23 games. Gonzalez only trails UM-Dearborn's Kenna Borso for most games played in the country. Gonzalez sports a 1.83 GAA and .945 save percentage with an impressive 13 wins.
Leading the Best
The junior captain, Pero, leads the Wolverines in all facets. Pero has a team-high 17 goals and 15 assists. Pero recently secured Second Team All-Athletic honors, the ACHA's equivalent of an All-American Award. Borso was also named Second Team All-Athletic after she boasted a 1.41 GAA and a .956 save percentage this season. Borso leads the country in games played (25) and has tallied 13 wins, eight of which were shutouts. Over the Wolverine's final five games, Borso surrendered just one goal and stopped 143 shots to carry the Wolverines to the CCWHA Tournament Finals.
Where to Watch
All of the ACHA National Tournament Games will be live-streamed on FloHockey. The link to view the entire schedule can be found here. Stats from each contest will be posted at the conclusion of each contest.
