Another season has ended for one of Penn's fringe sports teams. Both literally and figuratively, the Penn men's club hockey team finds itself outside of most Quaker fans' thoughts at this time of year, despite having won the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association championship last year and losing in the semifinals this past season. While the Red and Blue faithful descend in droves upon the Palestra, the University's top hockey team laces up its skates at the Class of 1923 Ice Rink at 31st and Walnut streets, almost as far east as one can go and still be "on campus." "I don't think people know that we play really competitive hockey," said senior Dan Remick, the team's assistant captain and co-president. "It's hard to get people to come out to the rink." Although the team has been flying mostly under the radar, the hockey club has been soaring in its league nonetheless. This is the fourth year in a row that Penn has made the playoffs, including one MACHA championship last season. This year's postseason was highlighted by a 5-1 thrashing of Princeton, followed by a tight 6-4 loss to Rider in the semifinals. "That was a great game," said Remick -- who led the team in points with 31 -- about the clash with the Tigers. "We'd tied them the week before, and they thought they had a chance against us. It was fun to come out and take it to them." "We love to beat Princeton," assistant captain and team co-president senior Michael Sand said. "We go there and their fans scream 'safety school' at us and stuff." Sand, the team's leading goal-scorer with 15 tallies, was not so upbeat about the game against the Broncs, however. "We wanted to win the championship, and it was pretty disappointing to lose to Rider," he said. "They have always been our rival. "The playoffs always go through Rider," he added. The Quakers defeated the Broncs in last year's MACHA championship game. Although the team's club status deprives them of the opportunity to face teams such as national Ivy powers Harvard and Cornell, Remick is perfectly happy not to bear the burden of a varsity title. "I'd rather be a club," Remick said. "It's nice that we are the only hockey team on campus, so we kind of consider ourselves the Penn hockey team." Staying club also ensures more players have the opportunity to participate. "Some of the players on the team might be good enough to play varsity," Sand said. "But those of us who are not good enough to play varsity are happy to be good players in a club team league." Sand also noted that none of Philadelphia's six Division I schools can claim a varsity hockey team. The Quakers can also look to Lafayette, Penn State, Delaware, Monmouth, Millersville and Seton Hall for regional club opposition. "From a personal standpoint, I think that it's unfortunate that Penn as a university doesn't have a varsity team," assistant coach and former player Whit Matthews '02 said. "At the same time, I think that it's great for the kids that are here [that the team is club]." The club-for-varsity tradeoff manifests itself in time and financial commitments. The team receives approximately $10,000 each year from the Sports Club Council, and each team member contributes $500 in dues. But the time commitment is smaller than most Penn varsity sports, with only two practices and an average of two games each week. "We don't have funds to advertise as the basketball team would for example," Matthews said. "So our crowds are pretty minimal, and the crowds that do come out [are] pretty supportive."
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