Post Classifieds
Ladies look to rebound after eighth-place finish in 2011-12
By Angelica Rodriguez
On October 17, 2012
Women's hockey assistant captain Rio Flynn plans to live by a certain credo this season.
"It's not a social club, it's a job."
Those are words Flynn will live by as she and captain Lauren Mallo prepare to lead the Bengals
to what they hope will be a successful year.
After a 2011-12 campaign that placed them eighth out of ten teams in the ECAC en route to
missing the postseason, they have one thing in mind - playoffs.
First, though, they'll have to address some of last year's issues. The Bengals posted a record
around .500 the first half of the season but suffered an eight-game losing streak in January. They
finished 7-16-2 overall, 4-13-1 in the ECAC and recorded just two road wins all year.
Head coach Rob Burke attributed the record to fatigue.
"Sometimes the rigors of the season take their toll," he said. "Even so, it's critical that we put our
best foot forward every game this year."
The Bengals will have an imbalance between home and road games this year due to changes
in their schedule. They will no longer play former conference foe RIT - last year's NCAA
Division III champions are now a Division I program. As a result, Buffalo State will be on the
road more than they are at home.
There is also a new Division III program in Stevenson University, who the Bengals face twice
this year.
"We don't know what to expect from them," Burke said. "Sometimes brand-new teams are easy
to beat, but other times they aren't. I do know that they got recruits we were pursuing. It won't be
an easy win."
The captains agree that they are taking Stevenson just as seriously as they would a conference
rival.
"We have to be as aggressive as possible. It'd be nice just to have some momentum going into
the rest of the season," Flynn said.
A big emphasis for the team this year will be mental toughness, which was lacking during last
season.
"We just need to focus on the hockey end of it, and not so much on how tired we are from the
bus or the aches and pains," Mallo said. "We're hoping everyone's there for the same reasons."
It will be Mallo and Flynn's job to make sure that mental toughness is in place. They were voted
into captaincy by their teammates at the end of last season. Part of their increased responsibilities
has been taking care of off-season workouts and captain's practices.
The Bengals take part in both weight-lifting and cardio on alternating days, followed by a two-
hour practice on the ice. They also have taken part in mental preparation - they did some
meditation during a meeting last week - and Mallo said she has a mental coach in addition to
her trainer during the off-season.
So far, Flynn said, there hasn't been much cause for concern.
"Everyone's pretty much on the same page already," she said. "We're all holding ourselves
accountable, which is good."
Tryouts for the women's hockey team took place Oct. 15, and while usually anyone can try out,
this season there were no walk-ons, according to Burke.
"There had been a couple of students who had expressed interest in playing, but in the end, they
couldn't handle their present workload," Burke said. "This tryout [was] just roster players and
our recruits."
With their roster set, the Bengals will face off against the Niagara Falls Midget AA team in an
exhibition game Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Ice Arena. From there, they have two games against
Stevenson Oct. 26-27. Then they go on a road trip to face tough ECAC West rival, Neumann.
"Neumann's had our number for the past couple of years," Burke said. "They were just behind
Oswego [in fifth place] in the standings. This will be a good road trip, and a good challenge for
us."
Mallo and Flynn are both eager for success this season.
"Rio and I have never played a playoff game," Mallo said. "I just want to leave here knowing
that I've done all I could to get there."
Angelica Rodriguez can be reached by email at rodriguez.record@live.com.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The Record News Articles
Runge's on-court progress parallels off-court success
Buffalo State men's basketball coach Fajri Ansari remembers his decision to recruit Seth Runge out of Springville-Griffith Institute ...
Bashore Baltimore bound after finding success in fashion field
Kelsey Bashore opened her email over spring break and glanced over one particular message several times to confirm what she was ...
Ladies win OT thriller to close season
After being eliminated from the playoffs last week, the Buffalo State lacrosse team knew Saturday's game at Potsdam would be its last ...
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE RECORD NEWS
- We've Moved to www.buffstaterecord.com!
- Obama divulges new higher education initiative during visit to UB
- Ailing Podolefsky steps down as president
- SUNY appoints Cohen interim president
- President Podolefsky announces leave to fight cancer
- Rappers put Pepsi in a bind
- Congrats to grads: take next step with gratitude
RECENT THE RECORD CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- Moving Resources For Military Families
- Historic Agreement Signed By Red Cross and Armed Forces
- Salonpas® Brand Stands the Test of Time
- Tips to “Yard Your Way” This Spring
- Upgraded Upstate Power Grid Will Deliver a Smarter,...
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Youth Apprenticeship Week Spotlights Opportunities
- New Expo Showcases AI Innovation
- Self-Care and Mental Health Tips for Caregivers
- Adventure Awaits: Discover the Playset that Brings...
- Need Auto Glass Repair? Don’t Despair
- Pioneering Fast and Affordable Broadband for the Underserved
- 7 Reasons Renting an RV Should Be On Every Family’s S...
- Don’t Let Diabetes Shortchange Your Golden Years
- No Child is Forgotten By Marine Toys for Tots
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Guidenar Launches New Career Test for Gen Z
- GotIt! Education Offers MathGPT Free to All State & Community Colleges
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
