Going into this season, the Wesleyan women’s hockey team knew that their 2023–2024 performance would be a tough act to follow. Still, the 2024–2025 Cards arrived hungry to prove themselves on the ice.

The Red and Black jumped right into NESCAC play, squaring off against Bowdoin in the first two games of the season. Despite a valiant two-goal effort by forward Amelia Molin ’27, Wesleyan succumbed in a 2–4 defeat. The second game, although closer, took a similar turn. As the Cards fell 1–2 to the Polar Bears, goalie Sami Smith ’27 recorded 30 saves during her first start in goal. Meanwhile, forward Caroline Kee ’26 slipped in a shot to prevent the shutout.

The Cards then turned to a highly anticipated matchup with no. 3 Middlebury. Last season, Wesleyan swept the Panthers, then ranked no. 6 in the nation, for the first time in team history. On Friday, Nov. 22, the two teams battled into overtime, with the Panthers eventually eking out a 1–2 win. A chance for redemption on Saturday quickly went downhill. Middlebury poured in six goals—four of which came in the last period of play—and Wesleyan fell 0–6, despite Smith’s career-high 41 saves.

Kee said that the 0–4 Cardinals knew it was time to stop dwelling on their losses and start turning things around.

“Say we lost Saturday,” Kee said. “You have that night and Sunday to be like, ‘Okay, that wasn’t that good.’ Then when we have practice Monday, you have to put yourself in the mindset, like, ‘Okay, that’s the past.’ There’s a new weekend coming up. I need to focus on that.”

Wesleyan demonstrated that mentality with two decisive wins against Salve Regina University (3–2 OT, 2–1). Even so, the Cards continued to struggle in conference play. They recorded a 1–3 loss to Colby on Dec. 6, as defenseman Aimée Seppenwolde ’26 picked up a goal to continue her three-game point streak. A day later, the Cards fell to no. 15 Nazareth University in a 0–3 shutout.

Captain and defenseman Sam DeLeo ’25 and her teammates took advantage of the winter break to recuperate.

“I think we were just excited for the new chapter,” DeLeo wrote in a message to The Argus. 

The Cards surged out of the break, racking up a 1–0 win against University of Massachusetts Boston before turning their attention to Conn. College in non-conference play. Seppenwolde continued to shine, kicking off Wesleyan’s scoring in the first period before forward Sam Galanek ’26 added another point off of an assist from DeLeo. The Cards’ effort led them to a 2–0 victory.

Continuing their winning streak, the Cards took on Manhattanville University (2–1) and Williams (1–0). The Ephs and the Cards played 40 scoreless minutes before a power play allowed Cameron Devenney ’28 to knock in a goal. Ultimately, the Cardinals were able to hold off the Ephs long enough to secure the 1–0 shutout.

However, in a rematch the next day, Williams came out on top. Despite a staggering 45 saves from Smith in goal, the Ephs shut out the Cards 0–2. The loss marked the beginning of a losing streak for the Cards, who fell to Endicott College 2–4 on Jan. 14. Three days later, they battled Hamilton, keeping neck-and-neck until the Continentals knocked in a goal with six minutes left in regulation to secure the 0–1 win. Less than 24 hours later, Hamilton delivered another beating, shutting out Wesleyan 0–5.

Kee reiterated the importance for her team to concentrate on the possibilities of the future.

“You just have to focus on the next [game] and maybe use your anger and emotions from that previous game in the next game,” Kee said. “And just try to propel yourself a little bit.”

On Friday, Jan. 24, the Cards squeezed out a 2–1 victory over no. 3 Amherst, thanks to goals from forwards Caroline Mezias ’25 and Dylan Green ’26. It was Wesleyan’s first victory over a ranked opponent since cruising to victory over no. 9 Trinity on Feb. 17, 2024.

The Cards hoped the momentum would continue. Instead, another losing streak carried them into the beginning of February. They lost their second game against Amherst (1–2), a pair of games against Conn. College (1–4, 2–4), and a Valentine’s Day contest against Colby (1–3). 

The Red and Black finally stopped their slide on senior night as they defended Spurrier-Snyder Rink against Colby for the second time in 24 hours. The Cards’ six-woman senior class rose to the challenge, keeping the game close all the way into the final period. With under three minutes left in regulation, Kee dropped a pass to captain and forward Christina Tournas ’25, who sent Wesleyan to overtime with a neatly placed goal. After a brief overtime, DeLeo notched one final goal, carrying Wesleyan to a 3–2 victory and sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

DeLeo noted that her thrilling goal was just one of the factors that carried the Cards to victory.

“It was definitely a great feeling,” DeLeo wrote. “[B]ut I think it was even better that we had such a great senior day with three different seniors scoring goals and coming out of such a close game with an overtime win in front of our families and friends.”

In Kee’s eyes, the seniors’ win galvanized the rest of the team.

“Personally, I think I was able to snap into it,” Kee said. “I was like, ‘Okay, I want this for them [so] I’m going to do whatever I can…to get them what they want.’ Because if they’re happy, that makes me happy.” 

The Cards closed out their season with a pair of games against Trinity. In the first game, still tied after overtime, Wesleyan and Trinity went head-to-head in a shootout that ended in a 2–2 tie. Looking to finish their season on a high note, the Red and Black came out strong for the rematch the following day. Although the team lost 1–3, Green demonstrated her offensive proficiency, scoring a power play goal to net a team-high six goals on the season.

A graduating DeLeo was nostalgic as she reflected on the season.

“It’s always hard closing a chapter, especially such a long one that has brought me so many memories, friends, and lessons,” DeLeo wrote. “[B]ut I’m grateful that Wesleyan was where I got to spend my last four years playing this sport. [I’m] excited to follow along in the future and keep watching my friends, but it’s definitely something that I’m going to miss being a part of every day.”

All in all, it was an up-and-down season for a tight-knit Cardinals group. While the team intends to leave the lows of this season behind, Kee hopes they’ll carry some things with them.

“As serious as it is, it’s also like…we’re playing hockey because it’s something we love doing,” Kee said. “And we have to maintain that little thought in our mind: ‘I’m gonna get frustrated with this game, but I’m still gonna have fun.’ And I think that’s gonna help us with a more positive mentality next year.”

Audrey Nelson can be reached at aanelson@wesleyan.edu.