As Akane Hosoyamada darted toward the boards, trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone against Wayne State, an opposing player came barreling toward her. Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan had to take a deep breath.

But his tiny 5-foot-4 defender was able to evade the hit.

It’s something that happens all too often, but the small freshman doesn’t let her frame hold her back. Hosoyamada goes hard toward the puck anytime it’s in her zone.

‘She’s not very big, but at the same time, she’s strong, she mixes it up and she’s fearless,’ Flanagan said. ‘You combine that with her skating ability and her skill, and you have a pretty dynamic defenseman.’

Hosoyamada hasn’t allowed her size to become a deterrent from playing hard all her life. She uses her size to her advantage. Hosoyamada is one of nine defensive players on the SU roster, and she has already begun to make a large mark at the position despite having heavy competition. Hosoyamada has scored 2 goals and dished out 13 assists in her first season with Syracuse.

Hosoyamada is fresh out of the Warner Hockey School in Alberta, Canada, where she practiced and worked out with her teammates every day. Hosoyamada left home to stay with 20 other hockey players in a church renovated into a dormitory.

The hockey team played a critical role in infusing life into a small rural community with about 300 citizens. Hockey instantly became a way of life.

‘It did really work well because I got used to being on the ice every day,’ Hosoyamada said. ‘At first when I got there was really tough. I was exhausted, but as I got used to it, got better so it definitely got me acclimated.’

Hosoyamada became a prolific scorer. She became a leader.

Hosoyamada was named the team captain for her junior and senior seasons, and in those two years she scored 33 goals and 32 assists.

As for her height, she doesn’t even recognize it when she’s on the ice. Hosoyamada may not fit the perfect blueprint for the average defender, but she makes up for it with good decision making and instincts.

‘I actually don’t notice it that much until I watch video, and then I’m like, ‘I’m that short?” Hosoyamada said. ‘I can throw all my body weight, and it doesn’t affect the bigger girls on the ice, so I have to try extra hard to push them around.’

Hosoyamada is the fourth highest scoring defender in College Hockey America. She is the highest scoring freshman defender in the conference.

As an offensive-minded defender, senior Ashley Cockell was someone Hosoyamada gravitated to. Cockell leads the conference in scoring among defenders and is third on the team in scoring. Cockell understands the young defensive squad is just beginning to reach its peak this season.

‘They still want to learn a lot,’ Cockell said. ‘They’re willing to work with me, and I work with them. It’s good because they are getting the experience at the college level, and they’re making me better as well.’

Hosoyamada said she enjoys making the players around her better, so she is more willing to dish out the puck than take a shot. She also said she’d like to take more of a leadership role in the future, but until then she will let Cockell run the defense.

‘Moving forward I’d want to bring out more leadership across the team,’ Hosoyamada said. ‘Not just goals but playmaking and making everyone around me better, too.’

Hosoyamada has already seen success in her first season at SU, and now Flanagan is ready for her to take more steps to becoming one of the best defenders in the league.

‘The sky’s the limit for Ak,’ Flanagan said. ‘I don’t see any reason why she can’t continue to build on the success she’s had this year.’

adtredin@syr.edu

Published on February 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm