Millett has been hanging around the Red Raiders since she started skating when she was 3 years old. Her brother, Evan, played a key role on Lowell’s 2002-03 team that went 18-2-3 and her sister Hillary was a team manager for two years.
“I remember Molly when she was a little-bity thing,’’ said Lowell coach Bill Donahue. “And she told me she was going to be our goalie when she was 4 years old. She’s been good to her word so far.’’
Like any sibling that had an older brother who played hockey, Millett was thrust into net to bear the brunt of his shooting practices, but she didn’t initially get the chance to play the position for real until a bit later.
“My dad was like, ‘You got to do this-and-this,’ and it took about a year,’’ said Millett. “Then I said ‘Dad, I’m ready. I want to do that.’ I thought it looked cool.’’
As she grew within the shadows of the Lowell hockey program, she never wavered in thinking where she would take her talents. Going to a school with a girls’ team was never even a thought.
“I was going to come here,’’ said Millett with determination. “I wanted to play for Coach [Donahue].’’
Millett was named to the varsity squad as a freshman and received playing time at the end of games that were already at hand, but this year’s start against Salem was just another step in her progression to eventually become this team’s starting goalie.
“I thought everyone was kidding and then it was in the newspaper and I was like. “Oh you weren’t lying,’’’ said Millett. “It was pretty cool.’’
“We’ve had quite a few [girl players],’’ said Donahue, now in his 12th season at the helm. “We have a girl playing up at Bowdoin now and we’ve had another girl goaltender way back, but we haven’t had anybody of the magnitude of Molly.’’
For now, Millett plays behind junior netminder Michael Doucette, who has been starting for the Red Raiders since his sophomore season.
