Few teams were hotter than Dexter Southfield at the end of last season.
After a 3-6-0 start, they went 11-4-1 and reached the Large School championship as the No. 3 seed. They came close to winning it all, too, falling to No. 4 BB&N in a 1-0 shutout.
"At the beginning of last year, we were struggling a little bit," Dexter coach Maggie Taverna said. "Coming out of the [Dexter Southfield Holiday] Tournament in December, the kids were a little nervous. We kind of had a meeting and just talked about leadership and who's going to be the person that brings the team together and from that success will ensue. That's what happened."
Leadership will be key for this year's team. Last season, co-captain Grace Lynch (West Roxbury, Mass.) was the lone senior on the roster. Dexter brings back five seniors and eight juniors, each with critical experience from last season's ups and downs.
"Grace was kind of on an island by herself, being the only senior, but the juniors stepped up, really showed their leadership and helped Grace a lot last year," Taverna said. "We now have 13 upperclassmen this year. Yes, you do have captains and whatnot, but at the same time, every upperclassman is a leader because they're all veterans. If this core of 13 kids can be inclusive of the younger athletes, be inclusive of each other and have a seriousness of purpose and a singular goal in mind, they're going to have success."
Just a season removed from an Elite 8 berth, Dexter still maintains lofty goals on and off the ice.
"The goal every year is to go as far as you can and play as long as you can. Playing in a championship game at the end of the season is one goal to set," Taverna said. "At the same time, too, as a coach, I'm an educator first. ... I would love to raise a trophy at the end of the year, but at the same time, I want these kids to become better hockey players and hopefully use the sport as a way to make it to the next step of their lives."
A big core returning up front
Despite graduating Lynch, Dexter returns its top three scorers from last season and seven of eight forwards to record double-digit points.
Leading the way last season as a sophomore was Evelyn Doyle (Needham, Mass.), who posted 26 points (14 goals) in 27 games. She parlayed that success into a strong summer, too, making USA Hockey's U18 Series roster after a strong showing at U18 Selects.
“She’s the smartest defensive center I’ve ever coached,” Taverna said of Doyle late this summer. “In my eyes, yeah, she’s the leading scorer on the team, but she plays all the facets of the game. All the special teams, she’s on it. ... The sky’s the limit for the kid. If she wants it, she could achieve it.”
'SKY'S THE LIMIT': Dexter Southfield's Evelyn Doyle continues to turn heads
Taverna also expects a fellow junior Alex Mitsakis (Winchester, Mass.) to take another step after posting career-highs across the board with 19 points (nine goals).
"Her skating has been elite, and it's always been elite, even when she was a little kid," Taverna said. "I think things are starting to click for her mentally."
Also among the key returners are seniors Marion Legge (Scituate, Mass.) and Maddie Bibeau (Natick, Mass.), plus juniors Sawyer Merrill, Maddie Funk and Elizabeth Allen.
"Out of that senior class, I would expect them to put some points on the board as well," Taverna said. "Then that group of five juniors, they pack a punch. They're all on the top-tier club teams, either the Spitfires, Assabet or the Junior Eagles. They see good hockey in the fall, and hopefully, that'll roll into playing for us here at Dexter."
Experience on defense and in net
Dexter also returns plenty of key upperclassmen on the blue line.
There's the premier one-two punch of senior Boston College commits in Maddie Murphy (Dorchester, Mass.) and Alaina Dunn (Walpole, Mass.). Murphy tied for third in scoring at Dexter last season with 16 points (six goals), and Dunn added seven points (four goals). Both skated at USA Hockey's U18 Select Camp in August, and Dunn made the U18 Series roster.
Senior Emma Peterson (Westwood, Mass.) is also back in the fold after chipping in nine helpers.
"Having defenders that are very, very experienced and have been in the program for a while, that gives you a little sense of ease," Taverna said.
GIRLS PREP PREVIEWS: What to expect from Groton | What to expect from Loomis Chaffee
Taverna also hopes to see how juniors Mac Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.) and Hadley Austin (Winchester, Mass.) take a step. Each had nine points last season.
"I feel like having those veterans defensively is awesome," Taverna said. "It's going to allow us to minimize shots and minimize opportunities for other teams."
In net, sophomore Annabelle Aitken (Winchester, Mass.) and junior Addie Sutherland (West Roxbury, Mass.) split the net for most of last season. Sutherland had a .909 save percentage. Meanwhile, Aitken posted a .939 save percentage and took hold of the crease down the stretch and into the postseason.
Both are likely to see their share of action again this season, and Taverna hopes it'll push each of them to be at their best.
"To me, it's anybody's net, essentially," she said. "In regards to experience and what both of them have accomplished, to me, either one of them can have the net. In my eyes, I like when you have a competitive goalie situation because it holds each of them accountable."
A pair of exciting newcomers
Among the new faces at Dexter this season will be forward Devon Moore (Milton, Mass.), a transfer from Notre Dame (Hingham), and freshman defender Maggie Chudzinski (Needham, Mass.).
INSIDE THE PROCESS: What it’s like to be recruited for women’s college hockey
Moore was one of the top skaters in the MIAA last season, putting up 27 points (20 goals) and leading NDA to a state championship appearance.
Two things that caught Taverna's attention the most when she scouted Moore? Her skating and high hockey IQ.
"Her skating is very clean, and her ability to play the game sets her apart from other people," Taverna said. "She's not a kid that's just going to take a puck and go end-to-end, stick handle through a million kids and score. She's somebody who's going to create 2-on-1's all over the ice because she understands how to move off puck and move pucks into space for somebody to skate into and create a play."
Being a former lacrosse player helps Moore with that spacing and movement she needs to excel in Taverna's system.
"I find that the girls that play lacrosse and hockey, there's an understanding of space and off-puck play or off-ball play that's instrumental to having success on the ice," Taverna said. "She's a good, total player. She has size, strength and skating."
WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY: 2006-born commits | 2007-born commits | 2008-born commits
Meanwhile, Dexter has had its eye on Chudzinski, who skates with the Boston Jr. Eagle's U14s, for some time. She's had a productive fall with the Eagles. Taverna is excited to bring her into the fold.
"She's doing a great job in the fall, and she's just a great overall kid," Taverna said. "She's got size and strength, similar to Devon, and she has some offensive prowess in her game as well, which is nice to see from the defensive side."
