The UCF Roller Hockey Club A and B teams proved that hard work pays off. Members’ high-spirited energy showed in their playing in the games as well as raising enough money from the five Publix fundraisers to fund their trips.
The national tournament was structured to have teams split into pools of four for three Round-Robin games. The A team did very well, winning all three Round-Robin games ranking as the top seed in their pool, while the B team had some early struggles but still made it to the playoffs.
When the first playoff games started, both teams received good match ups, with the A team topping Metro State University 7 to 3 and the B team winning their game against Grand Valley State 10 to 5. The win for the B team sent them to the quarter finals where they eventually lost to Arizona State University in overtime, ending their season. Once again, they finished in the top eight at nationals and number one in the southeast, making them one of the best B teams in the country.
The A team continued on to play last year’s national runner-ups Cal Polytechnic University. Knowing this was going to be a tough game, they came out ready to prove themselves as contenders. The game was an intense defensive battle with great goaltending, but they were able to pull off a 2 -1 win in overtime with a goal from David Novalis, making them one of eight teams left competing for the championship. Sadly, the A team would lose their next game to Eastern Michigan University and have to watch as Bethel University won the national championship.
“Looking back it was an amazing season with both the A and B teams ranking in the top eight in the country in their respected divisions,” said UCF Roller Hockey President David Dillon. “I think I can speak for everyone in the club by saying we’re all looking forward to having an even better next season.”
The club members worked hard both on and off the field. With over $15,000 in sponsorships, the club worked to raise money for their competitions, reaching just over $10,000.
The Roller Hockey Club is one of many clubs at the Recreation and Wellness Center in the Division of Student Development and Enrollment Services.