ELMIRA, N.Y. — Taking a look at the Murray Athletic Center for Elmira College tucked underneath the Finger Lakes, three silver-spired spheres could be mistaken for something you'd see in Florida.
"I came here and the first thing I said was, 'wow, this really looks like Epcot,' " said junior Sarah Waszkielewicz.
It's not quite that "happiest place on earth," but the Eagles might beg to differ when they play their game.
"I think play simple hockey, get pucks in and take care of our D-zone," said senior McKenzie Schmidt, who hails from a relatively short drive away in Baldwinsville.
The women rocking the purple and gold all have different hockey origin stories.
"It started when I was able to walk. I mean, my dad put me on skates at the age of 3, and I started playing competitively at the age of 6," said Waszkielewicz.
Wherever they've come from, it's all lead to a postseason run this year.
"We have a really good combination of players that work well together," said Schmidt. "I think it's exciting to see come together like at the right time."
Seniors like Schmidt and alternate captain from Pottsdam, Sophie Compeau, know their role every time they hit the rink.
"My class has been to the Frozen Four two times. So with that experience, you know, we can help the younger girls who might be feeling pressure or stress kind of understand what it takes to make it to the end goal," said Compeau.
That goal? Another NCAA banner added to a stacked arena for this roster's legacy.
"It's a special group that is founded on success and love for each other," Compeau said.
It's about the X's and O's for the Buffalo import, Waszkielexicz.
"You have the forwards who will go charge at the net while the defensemen take a shot and hopefully get a tip. The goal is to stand on their heads for every game, no matter what," she said. "And the team, I love every single girl on this team."
Together, they've got some hardware on the mind, but the future of this program in their hearts.
"To have an impact on that and know that I've done that for the younger girls and helped them to carry on. The tradition of success is really special," said Schmidt. "It's the last time in our life that we're gonna have this many people supporting us. And one time, I think just coming to the rink and being with their best friends every day, doing what you love is just something that not a lot of people can say that they get to do every day."
"These moments don't come around very often," said Compeau. "So just being able to know that these are really special and soak them all in, it makes the atmosphere so much better and it helps with that energy too."
