For the first time in its history, the MSU Club Hockey team won the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II Championships held on March 5.
The team defeated its biggest rival, Oakland University, in overtime with a score of 4-3 in Rochester, Mich.
In order to win the tournament, the team had to win five games in a row. General manager Jim Martin said it was an intense experience.
"It was a difficult tournament because we played five games in four days," Martin said. "It was hard for the players to stay focused."
The top four teams from each of the four regions - Northeast, Southeast, Central and West - of the ACHA play in the tournament. A total of 16 teams competed.
Martin said the final game against Oakland, last year's conference champion, was especially exciting because the two teams have such a strong rivalry.
"This year was weird. We played Oakland twice earlier on and split wins," Martin said. "Then in the finals (of the ACHA Championships), we got our revenge."
With four seniors on the team, many who were playing for the last time, the championship win was especially exciting, Martin said.
Center forward Josh Pergande, a senior on the team, said the tournament was difficult to play in.
"It was heated competition," Pergande said. "They were tough, hard battles. The seniors were ecstatic about going out with a bang."
MSU Club Hockey head coach Alex Piotrowski said although the win was satisfying, the celebration after the victory was the most rewarding.
"The sight of seeing everyone pouring out of the bench was really exciting," Piotrowski said. "The best feeling was hugging everyone and congratulating them."
Martin said being able to celebrate the win with the players' families also was exciting.
"The on-ice events after the game were really neat," Martin said. "There was a ceremony, and everyone's parents and little brothers and sisters came out."
The ACHA was formed in 1992 and now is composed of about 150 teams throughout the United States. The group tries to support and unify hockey teams in four-year colleges. The MSU team was formed about 15 years ago.
Throughout the season and to prepare for the tournament, the team captains and Piotrowski collected money to make green bracelets that said "Team."
"All season I told them we weren't going to win this as individuals; we had to do it as a team," Piotrowski said. "So we wore the bracelets a few weeks before the tournament to remind us that we are a team."
