Women’s Hockey, Player Focus: Caleigh Meraw

Written by Nathan Robichaud

@Nathan_.robichaud

Photo by SMU Athletics

The women of Saint Mary’s Hockey team have been a dominant force this season, boasting an incredible record of 16 wins with only two losses. With efficiency, they’ve climbed the league table and established themselves as the team to beat this season, and it’s easy to understand why. The team averages almost four goals per game, and their defensive record is equally as impressive, having conceded only 24 goals in 18 games. This dominant performance is not unexpected considering similar displays in previous seasons, including being crowned league champions three seasons in a row between 2015 and 2018. Having finished 3rd last year, the team is eager to reclaim their place as champions of the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) women’s hockey league, and it shows in their play— it’s fast, ambitious, precise, and relentless when they have the puck.

I caught up with Caleigh Meraw, a second-year psychology major, enjoying her second season with the Huskies. Caleigh recalled her first memory of playing hockey as being, “not that great”; having switched from playing ringette in Red Deer Alberta to hockey around the age of eight, there was an adjustment to overcome. “I played boys’ hockey, so they usually put the girls in the back to play defence. That’s where I started playing, and that’s the best place for me.” She described herself as a traditional and physical defenseman rather than a point scorer, but with eight points so far this season, Caleigh has a plus/minus of +11, the highest of any defensive player on the team. That suggests that when the defender is on the ice, good things happen, but Caleigh isn’t the only defender making waves and racking up points. The team boasts a few defensive options with influence on the attack, including Kiana Wilkinson, with an unprecedented 17 assists in 18 games.  

I asked Caleigh about the team’s season and if she could explain what drives the team to this level of success. “Well, we were part of the team that broke the win streak last year, and that felt not so great.” On a personal level, Caleigh talked about her first season describing it as frustrating and credited the team’s performance to lack of experience, “this year all the rookies have more experience from last year and the veterans we have on the team are great.” The team is eager to reclaim their top spot, and at this point in the season, they’re the team to beat. Team veterans are responsible for a majority of the team’s serial point-scoring—4th-year forwards Siobhan Birch, Brooke Murphy, and 5th-year defence, Kiana Wilkinson accountable for a combined 19 goals and 39 assists, which represents a 3rd of the team’s 180 points. Not to mention the teams preferred Goaltender, 5th year Rebecca Clark who keeps things tidy on the other end of the ice.

Caleigh explained that each victory against fierce opposition like StFX, STU, or UPEI had provided momentum and confidence for the team. “Playing strong teams has helped everyone on the team find their roles,” Caleigh also credited the coaching staff, veteran players, and support from the university with helping the team play to their potential. The fact that many of the players are so young and enjoying this level of success bodes well for the team’s future too. “There’s a legacy of success here that draws talented players to the team,” the defender mentioned that this sets the group apart from other teams in the league and allows the coaching staff to put together a talented team with great depth, “any line on the team can go head to head with any line in the league and hold their own.”

The women of the Saint Mary’s hockey team hit the ice at home against Dalhousie in an exhibition game on January 5th at the Dauphinee centre and on January 11th for their first league home game of 2020 facing UPEI who handed the Huskies their only away loss this season.