The Bowdoin College women’s hockey team has been to the NCAA Division III Frozen Four the previous two seasons

The University of Southern Maine women have reached the ECAC Division III semifinals the past two seasons.

And the Colby College women have been NESCAC semifinalists the past two years.

All three are in the midst of youth movements as they try to go at least one step further this season.

“We’re a pretty young team and it takes time for them to understand the systems. But it’s a very talented group of kids and we’re definitely seeing progress every day,” said fourth-year USM coach David Venditti who has 21 freshmen and sophomores on his 26-player roster.

Venditti lost his top three scorers off last year’s 15-11-1 team.

USM was 3-4-1 entering a Wednesday night game at Bowdoin and Old Town’s Rachael Wollstadt, a junior, was the team’s leading scorer with two goals and three assists for five points.

Freshmen Jessica Lortie, Bevin Padgett and Kerry Leonard had four points each as did Northeastern University transfer Jessica Judge of Porter.

Sophomore Caitlin Cashman and freshmen Meghan Connors and Jennifer Cordone headline the youthful blue-line corps in front of senior goalie Karen Jamnik (3-4-1, 2.28 goals-against average, .927 save percentage), who is considered one of the league’s best by Venditti.

First-year Bowdoin coach Kevin McGonagle has to replace three of the top four scorers off last year’s 23-2-3 club. They combined for 48 goals and 67 assists.

Twelve freshmen and sophomores have appeared in all six games for the 2-3-1 Polar Bears.

“We’re young and we’re learning. But if we play like we did against Division I Clarkson on Sunday [2-1 loss], we’re going to be tough. We’ll be right there at the end. We’ve got some good players,” said McGonagle, whose Polar Bears are ranked fifth nationally.

Junior right wing Marissa O’Neil, a 41-point scorer a year ago, and senior left wing Gillian McDonald (26 points a year ago) have been linemates with interchangeable centers.

The all-freshman line of leading point-getter Meghan Gillis (3 & 2) with Jayme Woogerd and Eliot’s Kate Leonard has been a pleasant surprise.

Cumberland’s Kelsey Wilcox is also expected to produce up front.

Senior Sadie Wieschoff, junior Cathie Quinlan, sophomore Rebecca Selden and freshman Meghan Tanguay have been the mainstays on defense in front of sophomore goalie Nathalie Morgan (2-3-1, 1.85, .918).

Jennifer Holsten’s Colby College Mules, 9-14-1 a year ago, are off to an 0-7 start but Veneditti, whose Huskies beat the Mules 3-2, said, “their record doesn’t reflect their team. They’re a strong team.”

Seven sophomores and freshmen have played in all seven games and the leading scorer is freshman Jennifer McAleer (4 & 0). Yarmouth junior Sarah Goodrich is one of three women with three points.

Senior Kate Sweeney, a 24-point producer a year ago, has 2 & 1 and will head up a veteran defense that will include senior Christina Dotchin and juniors Kristin Putnam and Meghan Barringer. Putnam is from Oakland.

Junior Lynn Hasday and freshman Alex Harris have manned the nets.