Athlete of the Week: Carly Moran

Carly Moran, a junior from Winona, Minnesota, had two goals in the Falcons' nail-biting win over UW-Eau Claire on Saturday. Moran’s goal in overtime helped lift the Falcons to a fourth consecutive O’Brien cup. It was also her seventh game-winning goal of the year, which leads the team.

Moran made her second consecutive all-WIAC team by putting up 51 points this year, which breaks Chloe Kinsel’ s previous scoring record. She currently only trails her teammate Dani Sibley in the record books for points in a season.

The Student Voice sat down with Moran to discuss another fantastic season of WIAC play and to look ahead to the NCAA tournament.

Q: What does it mean for this program to continue its dominance over the WIAC? 

A: It’s huge. We have a very in-depth team this year and have a lot of young girls with a lot of talent. There’s something special about this year with that depth that we have, so hopefully we can keep things rolling and see where it takes us.

Q: How much of a test was UW-Eau Claire for you this season?

A: They were definitely the hardest team we faced this season. We couldn’t take them lightly, and they’ve improved a lot. It was super exciting to end on a good note and beat them 3-2 in overtime. That was huge for us, and hopefully we can keep that momentum going into the tournament on Friday.

Q: How consistent has the team had to be to win 26 games already this season?

A: Consistency is always something we’ve kind of struggled with. We tend to come out slow in the first periods of games. But once we get going, consistency is huge for us, and that’s something that will be really important in playoffs. We need bring it every period and every shift for us to win the tournament.

Q: With the improved Hunt Arena, has there been a different feel in the arena this year?

A: The building upgrades bring energy to the building. It’s cool for us because it’s seating that’s all the way around, so the fans seem closer and it has an exciting atmosphere.

Q: What aspect of your game has increased this season to allow you to score more?

A: Much of the success this season is because of my line mates. It’s really the whole team dynamic that has really helped us seek success.

Q: How close has the team gotten in order to find success this year?

A: It’s really important to realize every person has a super important role. It’s not all about who’s scoring the goals and who’s coming through in the big moments. It’s the little things that make a difference, like winning the battles and getting it deep and blocking shots. It’s things that go more unnoticed that really contribute to this team and the unity.

Q: What has this team improved upon the most over the course of the regular season and WIAC play? 

A: It’s just been finding roles and fulfilling them. Players and freshman have really developed in speed over the season. They know to do the simple things and play smart hockey and that it’s not always about just getting the goals.

Q: Is there anything you would like to see be executed more consistently in the NCAA tournament?

A: How our team is playing right now is what I’m most confident in. I think, if we play how we’re playing right now, we’re going to see a lot of success. If we play our best hockey, we can leave and be confident that we know that we gave it our all. The results will just fall into place.

Q: How well does the team match up against your first opponent Gustavus?

A: They’re definitely a team that we can’t overlook. It’s playoff hockey and everyone brings their A game, and especially against us because we have a target on our back. Despite our wins against Gustavus earlier in the year, we have to forget about those. We can’t take anyone lightly at this point in the season. We have to just focus on the first period and come out flying.

Q: Does this team have the potential to compete for a national championship?

A: Yes. We all have a lot of passion and heart for the game, and we proved that in our win against Eau Claire. We never gave up, and we worked super hard. I think if everyone can give it their all and work hard, [a national championship] could be in the cards for us.