The PostFinance Women’s League is currently on hold. However, a number of EVZ players have international fixtures coming up. This includes the talented Zug-based player Sarah Mettler. On 3 November, the 16-year-old will travel to Slovakia with the U18 national team for a four-nation tournament. In Bratislava, Switzerland will face Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden.

The team made a strong impression at the last four-nation tournament in the Czech Republic in August. Switzerland beat Finland 2–1 on penalties, Sweden 3–1 and the hosts, the Czech Republic, 2–0. Sarah Mettler scored the decisive penalty against Finland. Alongside her, other EVZ talents such as goalkeeper Flurina Waltert and defender Kim Villiger are in the squad; Neela Brander and Lara Klaus are also on the standby list.

Sarah Mettler is delighted that, thanks to the growing support for women’s and girls’ ice hockey in this country, more and more young players are moving up to the U18 national team. At the same time, this is also changing her own role. “I’m now one of the more experienced players. It’s up to me now to take the lead,” she says.

This development is also evident at EVZ. Following the many injury-enforced absences at the start of the season, Mettler had to find her feet again. “I’ve managed that quite well now.” This was also evident in Saturday’s home opener against Lausanne HC Féminin. Sarah Mettler caught the eye with the final goal of the match in the 2–0 victory. She chased the puck behind the goal, left a defender in her wake with a one-two off the boards and set up goalscorer Alina Marti. “I was a bit nervous before the match. But as soon as I was on the ice, it felt normal again,” says Sarah Mettler of the season opener at the OYM hall.

The fact that younger players in the Zug Women’s Team can take on responsibility at an early stage also has to do with the culture within the team. “We have open communication. We younger players can also tell the older ones if we see room for improvement,” explains the Effretikon native.

The team also tackles difficult situations with a spirit of solidarity. Although Captain Lara Stalder’s prolonged absence following a knee injury sustained in the match against Lausanne is on the team’s minds, it is not to become the overriding issue. “Lara herself says that this is part and parcel of hockey and there’s nothing we can do about it. We have to look ahead and stay focused.” On Sunday, in their 10–0 victory over the Neuchâtel Hockey Academy, the team showed that they are capable of doing just that.

Off the ice, a new chapter began for Sarah Mettler this summer. She is at OYM College in Cham, where she is completing her first year of commercial training. “I’m really enjoying it, but I need to find my feet first,” she says. On the sporting front, she’s already looking ahead. Playing college hockey in North America remains a major goal. “When I see that Naemi Herzig and Ivana Wey have made the leap from the EVZ to the NCAA, I naturally want to follow in their footsteps.” Until then, the power forward has further steps to take on her path of development – the next one will take her to Slovakia.