Certainly the game has changed and our society, with kids more athletic and getting more coaching and strength training and more chances to play but....
remember what those old wooden sticks were like? Girls today would struggle using that as opposed to their GAIT stick. There's a reason why the top-14 single season goalie save % were all over 20 years ago.
Also, aren't there more teams (players) in D1 now than 25 years ago?
I'm not sure skills are any better. But athleticism is night and day. Kids are faster, stronger and more equipped for the rigors of today's game compared to 20 yrs ago
