The season has just started,  and already the UND women’s hockey team is moving up in the polls.

On Tuesday, the USA Today’s most recent poll showed UND at the No. 7 spot, moving up one spot from where it started in the preseason.

UND will kick start the regular season hosting a pair of out of conference games, Friday night against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and University of Vermont on Saturday.

Defense will be the key to UND this weekend, with veteran players like Tori Williams and Sam Lashomb providing leadership.

Friday night will be the first time RPI will square off against UND since 2007, when UND lost both games, 1-3 and 1-6. RPI is coming off a preseason win after defeating the Ottawa Junior senators, 2-0.

RPI’s offense is lead by junior Alexa Gruschow, who led the team in points last year with 20. She is joined by fellow junior Lauren Wash, who had a team-high 12 goals last year.

The University of Vermont and UND will play Saturday night for just the second time since 2011. Vermont hopes for a little bit of revenge after dropping both games in Grand Forks, 9-1 and 4-1.

The Catamounts are returning a majority of its offense this year, including Amanda Pelkey, who set a Vermont record last year with 40 points, 21 goals and 19 assists.

Both games Friday and Saturday night will start at 7 p.m. at the Ralph Engelstad.

Kyle Beauchamp is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].