Vermont Academy Athletes Compete in the U18 Ice Hockey World Championships
Each January, the best young female ice hockey athletes from around the globe compete in the U18 World Championships for their respective nations. Vermont Academy (VA) students and faculty had a unique opportunity to watch three of its student-athletes compete on the world stage in this year’s U18 Ice Hockey World Championships hosted by Team Hungary in Budapest on January 11.
In this preliminary round of the championships, senior twins Chloe and Anais Aurard (Team France) and junior Lotti Odnoga (Team Hungary) faced off against each other for the first time since joining Vermont Academy and becoming fast friends and teammates. I ended practice early so the team could cheer on Chloe, Anais, and Lotti from a live stream projected onto the big screen in Horowitz Performing Arts Center.
This is an especially important time for female hockey players as the world watches the growth of women’s hockey with increasing interest. When it comes to ice hockey, especially for females, most people think of the United States and Canada as powerhouses. What is often forgotten is the upcoming growth and strength of other nations, namely France and Hungary. Vermont Academy is very fortunate to have three student-athletes from these nations.
It was an exciting and poignant moment for us at Vermont Academy to witness these incredibly bonded teammates become rivals in front of an international crowd. VA students studying abroad in our Chile campus via Global Programs, as well as many other offices and dorms around our close-knit campus, also watched the live stream. It was incredible to see the entire community rally around these three student-athletes—we were all torn on which team we wanted to win!
Chloe and Anais, from Villard de Lans, France, joined Vermont Academy in fall 2014 and added strength and European presence to the girls’ ice hockey lineup. Chloe, a tenacious and aggressive forward, averages nearly 2 points per game in both goals and assists when wearing Vermont Academy’s Wildcat jersey. Anais, on the other hand, helps the team compete defensively by keeping the puck out of the net. Currently holding a 92% save percentage, Anais is often the team’s backbone. In fall 2015, Lotti, from Gyor, Hungary, joined the roster as a solid defenseman, taking on anyone in front of the net. Mostly from the blue line, but also on special teams, Lotti has averaged 1.5 points per game in her two seasons for VA.
The game itself was riddled with power plays and penalty kills that often saw one team with a 5-3 advantage. Heading into the third period Team France held a 1-0 advantage with the help of Anais in the net. There was a scary moment when it appeared Lotti was injured early in the 3rd period, however she was quickly back at it for a Team Hungary power play. Lotti scored the equalizing goal against Anais with just under 10 minutes to play in the game, giving Team Hungary the spark they needed. They went on to score two more unanswered goals, defeating Team France 3-1. Lotti was named by Team Hungary as Player of the Game and honored at the game’s close. It was an exciting match up that could have gone either way.
“When the puck dropped, we were focused on the game until the whistle blew. When we won, I was really happy and sad at the same time. In the end, we were back to being best friends no matter what.” Lotti Odnoga ’18
The best moment of the game, however, didn’t come during regulation time but in the handshake line when Lotti embraced Anais and Chloe in big hugs. As Hayley Wickenheiser said in her retirement video from Canadian hockey, “Dear Hockey… You gave me both joy and pain but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Through four gold medals and thirteen World Championships it was never about the wins, it was about the people, you taught me that.” The memory of this game will last a lifetime for these teammates and friends—and for Vermont Academy.
“It was the best feeling playing for our country, even against our best friend Lotti. After we lost, she was there for us. That's how the game works, one winner, one loser—but friends forever.” Anais and Chloe Aurard ‘17
Back
This is an especially important time for female hockey players as the world watches the growth of women’s hockey with increasing interest. When it comes to ice hockey, especially for females, most people think of the United States and Canada as powerhouses. What is often forgotten is the upcoming growth and strength of other nations, namely France and Hungary. Vermont Academy is very fortunate to have three student-athletes from these nations.
It was an exciting and poignant moment for us at Vermont Academy to witness these incredibly bonded teammates become rivals in front of an international crowd. VA students studying abroad in our Chile campus via Global Programs, as well as many other offices and dorms around our close-knit campus, also watched the live stream. It was incredible to see the entire community rally around these three student-athletes—we were all torn on which team we wanted to win!
Chloe and Anais, from Villard de Lans, France, joined Vermont Academy in fall 2014 and added strength and European presence to the girls’ ice hockey lineup. Chloe, a tenacious and aggressive forward, averages nearly 2 points per game in both goals and assists when wearing Vermont Academy’s Wildcat jersey. Anais, on the other hand, helps the team compete defensively by keeping the puck out of the net. Currently holding a 92% save percentage, Anais is often the team’s backbone. In fall 2015, Lotti, from Gyor, Hungary, joined the roster as a solid defenseman, taking on anyone in front of the net. Mostly from the blue line, but also on special teams, Lotti has averaged 1.5 points per game in her two seasons for VA.
The game itself was riddled with power plays and penalty kills that often saw one team with a 5-3 advantage. Heading into the third period Team France held a 1-0 advantage with the help of Anais in the net. There was a scary moment when it appeared Lotti was injured early in the 3rd period, however she was quickly back at it for a Team Hungary power play. Lotti scored the equalizing goal against Anais with just under 10 minutes to play in the game, giving Team Hungary the spark they needed. They went on to score two more unanswered goals, defeating Team France 3-1. Lotti was named by Team Hungary as Player of the Game and honored at the game’s close. It was an exciting match up that could have gone either way.
“When the puck dropped, we were focused on the game until the whistle blew. When we won, I was really happy and sad at the same time. In the end, we were back to being best friends no matter what.” Lotti Odnoga ’18
The best moment of the game, however, didn’t come during regulation time but in the handshake line when Lotti embraced Anais and Chloe in big hugs. As Hayley Wickenheiser said in her retirement video from Canadian hockey, “Dear Hockey… You gave me both joy and pain but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Through four gold medals and thirteen World Championships it was never about the wins, it was about the people, you taught me that.” The memory of this game will last a lifetime for these teammates and friends—and for Vermont Academy.
“It was the best feeling playing for our country, even against our best friend Lotti. After we lost, she was there for us. That's how the game works, one winner, one loser—but friends forever.” Anais and Chloe Aurard ‘17
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
