By Tara Sowle
UWRF Sports Information

Falcon captain Lou Paulson is working hard to help her team be at their best.

Paulson is a key player to this year’s women’s hockey team. Her hard work has put her team on the scoreboard through out this season and she says the team, “has the ability to win the conference title if we can come together and have confidence.”

Before games, Paulson likes to get focused by listening to music and visualizing game situations. Her technique is definitely working; Paulson is consistently contributing to the scoreboard and working her butt off on defense.

The Falcon game against Augsburg on Nov. 23 showed the type of skills and talents Paulson brings to the ice. Paulson scored her most impressive goal of the season when she scored an unassisted goal with two Falcons in the penalty box.

Falcon Coach Joe Cranston commented that Paulson's short-handed goal was, "unbelievable, it was the first time I had ever seen that happen!" Her scoring ability at Proctor-Hermantown, Minn., High School earned her school records for season and career points as well as being named to the second All-Area team.

Coming into games on Jan. 14-15, Paulson is tied for second in scoring for the Falcons. She has played in every game and has six goals and five assists for 11 points. She is tied for the team lead in goals and assists. Paulson has scored one power-play goal, one short-handed goal and one game winner.

Her outstanding defensive play earned her Falcon Player of the Week honors on Nov. 22. Cranston said her ability, "to kill penalties was unbelievable, she helped stopped 90 percent of them."

Despite all her individual accomplishments the team is the main priority for Paulson, who found out she was the team captain at the end of last year.

She has wasted no time preparing herself to lead the team. “I talked with previous captains, saw what they did well, and tried to copy them,” Paulson said.

Besides helping her teammates become better players, being a captain has forced her to improver her skill as well.

“I had to be more vocal - it made me come out of my shell and be more positive.”

Paulson’s duties as captain include running captain practices and setting up all the summer league practices. But she says those responsibilities have been taken on by all the upper classmen. Everyone has helped lead the young team to show what it takes to, “work hard and work as a team.”

Lou Paulson