From The Jamestown Sun
By Katie Ringer
JAMESTOWN — When Olivia Sorlie landed in Tucson, Arizona, last August she had a pretty good idea of what she was in for.
“I knew that this was the very first year the women’s hockey program was back at the University of Arizona, so there was going to be a lot of foundation built as a team,” Sorlie said. “I was going into the year expecting a lot of ups and downs, but overall growth, and that’s exactly what happened.
“It was really exciting and rewarding to be a part of a new team and create the team culture you want,” she said. “All the girls were very nice and Coach (Caitlin) Hogan is amazing and pushes all of us to work hard and make mistakes every practice.”
Sorlie, a former Jamestown High School hockey player, just completed her first season playing ACHA Hockey at the University of Arizona.
Sorlie said on-ice practice started in mid-September and went through the end of February. Practices were held Monday through Friday from 7 to 8:30 a.m. The former Blue Jay said on-ice training was 90 minutes of a combination of individual skill, team and line drills. The type of drills depended on the day and if the team had an upcoming game.
In the afternoon, Mondays through Wednesdays, Sorlie and the team would work out in the weight room.
“Before the season started, I wasn’t expecting to play a lot considering I am a freshman competing for the starting position against a junior D1 transfer,” Sorlie said. “When coach informed me I was starting the first game of the season I was surprised and thrilled.
“As the season progressed, coach put a lot of trust in me and I started a majority of the games,” she said. “I am super thankful for the opportunity to earn the starting position and gain experience in the net as a freshman. Even the games I was the backup goalie were really fun. I learned a lot just watching the other goalie in net, so either way I was improving my own game.”
The Wildcats’ season began in late September and concluded in late February. The team traveled as far as — Jamestown, North Dakota.
“I was very excited to come back to North Dakota and play in both Minot and Jamestown,” Sorlie said. “I did not get to start the Jamestown game, but I was put in about halfway through.
“The moment I stepped on the ice and the announcer said my name, almost the entire building cheered,” she said. “I will never forget that sound or that feeling I had. I am super grateful to have such a big support system and have friends, family and former teammates come watch. I recognized a few Jimmies and some of them coached me while I was in high school, so it was nice to catch up with them.”
The Jimmies won the Oct. 6 game by a score of 8-1. All told, the Wildcats ended the year at 7-15 in the ACHA. Sorlie played in 16 games and faced 653 shots and made 599 saves. All told, she posted a .917 save percentage.
“For the first year as a program, I am super proud of the team as a whole for sticking through all the challenges and celebrating the accomplishments,” Sorlie said. “I am also proud of myself for the hard work I put in on the ice and in my school work. Some games didn’t go the way I wanted, and goals slipped through that are easy fixes, but every mistake is an opportunity to learn and get better.
“After the season ended, we began working out as a team Monday through Friday in the afternoon,” she said. “… Coach has a lot of experience weightlifting so she will set up exercises suited for hockey players to focus on strength and speed. Both on and off ice practices were very rewarding and everyone is super motivated and uplifting.”
This summer Sorlie is working as a phlebotomist and coaching youth soccer in Jamestown while also completing the workouts Coach Hogan sent team members.
“For on ice training I will have to travel to Bismarck, since we don’t have ice in Jamestown over the summer,” Sorlie said. “I have signed up for a couple goalie camps and I hope to get some private training in when I don’t work. I will also be enjoying time spent with family and friends before I have to leave for school in the fall.”
For the upcoming season, Sorlie said she is going to work hard both in the classroom and on the ice.
“Classes will be more challenging these two semesters than my first year, so I am hoping to keep my grades up,” she said. “For hockey, I am excited to meet all the new girls and see where they fit in our lines. I believe coach has brought in some really talented and hard working players that will help us succeed this year. In any sport at the collegiate level, the overall goal is to make the national tournament. With the talent we already have and the incoming players, I think we have a strong chance of making nationals.”
(Originally published at https://www.jamestownsun.com/sports/prep/olivia-sorlie-back-in-jamestown-awaiting-season-no-2-at-arizona)
