MANKATO — It’s safe to say that things are going right for No. 14 Minnesota State women’s hockey.
Entering the month of December the Mavericks are 10-7-1 after winning five of their last seven games in regulation. The 10 wins are also the most before the month of December in program history.
The season appeared to have shifted in MSU’s favor after taking 5-2 and 7-3 road losses to No. 3 Ohio State. After that series, something clicked.
“We’re young, but after that series we were 14 games (into the season). We couldn’t be young anymore,” MSU head coach Shari Dickerman said. “We can’t be young anymore. You can’t be freshmen anymore. I think they’ve started to find their way.”
One of those freshmen beginning to find their way is forward Mercury Bischoff. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because she’s the reigning Miss Hockey in the state of Minnesota.
The Grand Rapids–Greenway High School product left behind an impressive legacy. A four-year All-State player, a three-year team captain, the program’s all-time leader in goals and points, over 300 points to be more accurate.
But finding her way at the college level, especially in the vaunted WCHA, didn’t come easy. Yet, Bischoff broke through in a big way against No. 2 Minnesota.
In the series opener in Minneapolis she had a goal and two assists in a 3-1 win over Minnesota. In the finale in Mankato she netted a hat trick in a 4-1 win over the Gophers. It was the first time since 2006, when a good chunk of this roster was still in diapers, that the Mavericks swept Minnesota.
She added on to that last weekend. Bischoff scored once in Friday’s 5-2 win over Dartmouth. And as snow dropped in buckets outside Saturday, she dropped a goal and two assists in a 5-0 win over the Big Green.
Through 18 games she has 11 goals and five assists. Her 11 goals are tops on the team and eighth in the conference.
“It’s taken her a little bit of time to get that poise about her game here at the college level, but we watched her have it all her career through youth and high school,” Dickerman said. “It’s good to see her finding that game here.”
Bischoff isn’t the only freshman beginning to find her way for the purple and gold.
Orono High School’s Zoe Lopez has five goals and two assists. Rosemount’s own Sophie Stramel, a Miss Hockey finalist, has netted all four of her assists during MSU’s hot streak. Redwood City, California’s Lucie Tenenbaum has a goal and five assists from the blue line. Mika Cichosz, the younger sister of senior Campbell Cichosz, is beginning to find her footing in the top four on the blue line.
Goalie Kaydence Roeske, the younger sister of senior Kianna Roeske, has turned away 64 of 66 shots in three starts. Her last two starts have been shutouts over Bemidji State and Dartmouth.
“When you have eight freshmen in the lineup, you need them to be able to play minutes and make plays,” Dickerman said. “They’ve all done a really good job of transitioning and getting better every game, every week. They’ve been great. We’re excited for what’s to come.”
Senior forward Whitney Tuttle also sees the growth of the freshman class.
“They’re awesome. Seriously,” she said. “There’s so many of them that it changed the dynamic of the team, but they all bring something so amazing, so special, and we all jive. We love each other to death, and I think that helps us a lot on the ice too.”
Another big help has been shuffling junior Lauren Zawoyski from forward to defenseman.
In 75 games as a forward she added a goal and six assists. And while she made several all-conference and national teams for her performance in the classroom, her move to the blue line has seen the Edina High School product enjoy a career renaissance.
So far she has a goal and 14 assists this season in 18 games. It’s the most assists of any Mavericks and seventh most in the WCHA.
“She’s been electric this year,” Dickerman said of Zawoyski. “She’s poised with the puck and uses her speed to create offense. When you have an older player on the back end that takes charge, it kind of rights the ship for the whole group.
“She was kind of a changing point for our group.”
After Saturday’s win over Dartmouth Dickerman began to notice how much the Mavericks have matured through 18 games. She was also quick to praise the leadership from senior captain Taylor Otremba and senior alternate captain Kianna Roeske.
Dickerman knew the two would be great, but she’s been impressed with their ability to set the tone through hard work.
“They’ve been great,” Dickerman said. “Our whole group is following along. I think we’ll go as far as those two can lead us.”