After having broken a consecutive string last season of qualifying for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 National Tournament every season since 2006-07, the Rainy River Community College women’s hockey team has its sights on a national title.

The Voyageurs, who finished the 2012-13 campaign 4-12-1 overall and 4-8-1 in ACHA games, had closed out the season with a 6-0 victory over the club team from the University of Minnesota Duluth, an ACHA D2 national qualifier.

Evan Amdahl enters his sixth season as the Voyageurs’ head coach with the team’s key losses from last season being forward Janet Scherrer, who is now playing NCAA Division III hockey at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and forwards Abbey Fox and Kristen Penner, who have moved on to other schools this year.

RRCC returns an honorable mention All-American forward, Taylor Dixon, a sophomore from Fort Frances.

The strengths of this year’s team, Amdahl said, include depth at goalie with four players fighting for playing time at that position and team speed.

“Since there is no body checking in girls hockey, speed can make a team very successful,” Amdahl said.

However, with half of the team being new this season, he said “it will take a while to get any continuity on the ice.”

“Once the season gets into full swing, I’m hoping that the lines will fall together and start to click,” Amdahl said.

After missing last year’s national tournament, Amdahl said “the team is motivated to redeem itself and make a drive for RRCC’s fourth national championship.”

The Voyageurs last won the ACHA D2 title in 2010-11.

Amdahl said he is concerned the most this season about the team staying healthy.

“We have a strong off-ice conditioning and weight-lifting program and injuries are not usually a problem,” he said. “However, all it takes is a freak accident to really put a damper on a season.”

Amdahl said he is looking forward this season to “seeing the potential of this team come together and watching the girls develop new friendships that will last a lifetime.”

He said the teams to watch out for this season include UMD and North Dakota State, which both qualified for the national tournament last season, as well as the University of Alaska and UW-Stout, which played each other for the national championship two seasons ago.

The Voyageurs open the season at Bronco Arena this coming weekend when they host the four-team “Can Am Tournament,” in which RRCC has its first game at 9 a.m. Saturday against the Northern Stars.

Confederation College is then scheduled to play the Voyageurs at 4 p.m. Saturday. RRCC closes out the tournament at 11 a.m. Sunday against Lakehead University.