Marisa Hourihan has always strived to be the best. That was true during her hockey career at Hanover High, and later Northeastern University. And it is true today, in her job as a labor foreman for Boston-based J. Derenzo Co.

Hourihan was the starting goaltender for the 2001 Hanover High boys’ hockey team that captured the Division 3 state championship. That year, she set the program record for shutouts in a single season. A year ago, she was the first female inducted into the Hanover High

“I am officially a Hall of Famer, which is nice,’’ said the 33-year-old Hourihan, who still lives in Hanover. “That senior year was amazing. We were undefeated and won the state championship 9-0. It was actually a tough game to watch.’’

She is currently working on a project at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

“There is a lot that goes into it,’’ she said, “like all the engineering and reading the plans. It’s not just shoveling dirt.’’

Hourihan considered attending the University of Connecticut and Wisconsin before settling on Northeastern. But her first three years at NU were challenging, at least on the ice. She was stuck behind All-American Chandra Gunn and saw action in just 12 games her first two seasons.

After a redshirt season her third year, Hourihan was the starter her junior and senior seasons, and her 1,235 saves during the 2005 season remains a program record. Her 2,388 career stops are fourth on the Huskies’ career list.

“We didn’t have very good teams when I was there, but as a goalie it was good for me,’’ she said. “I saw a lot of shots. But it was a great group of girls and regardless of our record I wouldn’t change a thing.’’

As a freshman, Hourihan stepped in for an injured Gunn and blanked Vermont, 5-0, in her first game as a collegian. She then shut out Quinnipiac, 2-0, to earn ECAC Rookie of the Week honors.

Hourihan believes that playing for the boys’ team at Hanover helped to prepare her for Division 1 hockey and her career.

“We didn’t have girls’ hockey at my school, so playing with the boys was the only option,’’ she said.

“If you want to be the best, you need to play at that elite level. The boys were stronger, bigger and faster, and it was tough keeping up with them. That definitely prepared me to play at a high level in college. Now working in the construction field, I have the same mentality. I’m working with mostly all men and it’s like ‘whatever you can do, I can do too.’ I still have that drive to be better and be stronger.’’

John Johnson can be reached at jjohnson49@comcast.net.