The Hamline University Women’s hockey team looks to snap its four-game losing streak when they open up a home and home weekend series against the Bennies of the College of St. Benedict.
Currently, the Pipers sit in sixth place in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) with a 5–5–0 record, one spot behind St. Olaf for the fifth and final playoff spot.
The Pipers are led by fourth-year head coach Whitney Colbert, and leading scorers, fifth-year senior Haley Eder–Zdechlik and high-flying first-year Ashlyn Abrahamson, both with 17 points. In goals, the Pipers are led by junior netminder Kendra Nordick with a 1.88 goals against average and a .903 save percentage.
With eight games left, the Pipers have little room for error if they are to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament.
The good news is that St. Olaf squares up against first-place Augsburg this weekend, so if Hamline can put up points against the Bennies, they’ll have a good chance of leapfrogging the Oles and moving into fifth place.
The Pipers know it is going to take a strong push to get into the playoffs. One feature that emphasizes the level of play the Pipers have is their dedication to effort. Colbert highlights the way the team has contributed to this.
“We are really hitting [our] stride and I can feel that those efforts will soon pay off on the scoreboard,” Colbert said via email.
A distinguishing characteristic that both the team and the coaching staff are prioritizing, especially during their playoff push, is the level of chemistry they share.
Junior defenseman Kylie Huseth further elaborated on how well-connected the team is and how positive their mindsets are towards each other.
“I think on the ice everyone does a really good job. We are always preaching positivity, everyone has really great energy at the rink and I feel like we’re just such a family,” Huseth said.
Colbert also attributed it to the level of chemistry her team has and how it is contributing to their success.
“The camaraderie in the locker room and the positivity they have is immeasurable. This is a really special group and one that continues to play for each other,” Colbert said via email.
While the team shares an immense amount of chemistry on the ice, it also translates off the ice. Huseth mentioned how Colbert tries to orchestrate team bonding activities that will further strengthen the bond between the players.
“I feel like our chemistry is just so much more than other teams. I’ve never been a part of a team that appreciates one another as much as this team does,” Huseth said.

While this final push for a playoff spot can feel overwhelming at times, the Pipers will continue to refer back to their mantra, “back to work.” Huseth professed that when the team may be yearning towards a mindset that may set them out of place, they regroup and refer back to this mantra.
The Pipers plan to take this back to work mentality coupled with their developed chemistry over the final month of the season and find their spot in the 2025 MIAC playoff tournament.