The 10th Japan Student Women's Ice Hockey Tournament was held at Healthpia Kurashiki Ice Arena (Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture) and Okayama Kokusai Skaterink (Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture) from November 3 to 6, and our University's women's ice hockey team finished in the top four.
　
The team advanced to the final tournament last year, but lost in the third-place match and finished in fourth place. This year, they were aiming for 3rd place or higher, and devoted themselves to daily practice.　　　
　
Fifteen universities from all over the country that won the regional preliminaries participated in this tournament. Qualifying leagues were held with 15 universities divided into 4 blocks, and four winners, Nippon Sport Science University, University of the Ryukyus, Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, and Okayama University advanced to the final tournament.
　
In the preliminary league match against Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, our team was tied at the end of the third period, and won a fierce battle that went all the way to PSS (Penalty Shot Shootout, similar to penalty kicks in soccer) to advance to the final tournament.
　
In the final tournament, they lost to Nippon Sport Science University in the semifinals and University of the Ryukyus in the third-place game, finishing the tournament in the top four.
　
Captain SHIROGAKI Mako (3rd year, Discovery Program for Global Learners) reflected on the tournament, "Last year at the same tournament, we made it to the finals, but lost in the third place play-off and were just a little short of the podium. With this disappointment, we have practiced all year with the goal of finishing third in this tournament, but we were not able to achieve our goal. It was a very disappointing result, but we will work hard to grow further as a team and as individuals in order to make it to the podium next year," she said. SASAKI Nao (4th year, Faculty of Letters) added, "It was a frustrating result because we could not achieve our team goal, but I think it was thanks to my fellow teammates that we were able to come this far despite the effects of the new type of coronavirus infection. I hope that the juniors will use this frustration to improve on this year's ranking in next year's competition.

☆ Tournament results ☆
[Qualifying League]
vs Nagasaki University 19-0
vs Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine 2-1
vs Tsuru University 10-0

[Final Tournament]
Semifinal vs Nippon Sport Science University 0-18
3rd place match vs University of the Ryukyus 3-5