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Youngsters star in 4-2 USM win over Hayward

By Tom Geilfuss, USM Assistant Coach, 11/26/17, 6:00PM CST

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Freshmen tally three goals in victory

The University School co-op girls’ hockey team captured third place in the annual Gobbler Cup Tournament by defeating their long-time rival, Hayward, 4-2 on Saturday, November 25th at the Mosinee Recreation Center in Mosinee.

Three goals by freshmen players helped the Wildcats win the non-conference contest.  Jordan Bonk scored two goals in the first period, and Eiley Sheahan tallied what proved to be the game winner in the third.  Junior Michaela Fritz added a goal to the Wildcats’ total later in the third period.  Sophomore Lauren Donnellan scored both of Hayward’s goals, one in the second period and one in the game’s final frame.

The Wildcats played with determination and displayed some fine forechecking in the affair.  As a result, they outshot the Hurricanes 46-20.

Fritz, who is one of USM’s captains said, “Definitely a noticeable change in the energy level today compared to our prior game. Since we were all positive and worked past the adversity and obstacles we were faced with, we came together as a team.”

The Wildcats scored in the game’s first minute.  From the face off they moved the puck into the Hurricanes’ zone and applied pressure on their forecheck.  Bonk stopped an attempted clear near the blue line and passed the puck toward the left corner to junior Hannah Neudorfer.  Neudorfer returned the favor.  Bonk received the pass in the high slot, skated down the pipeline, and blew a wrist shot past Emma Quimby, Hayward’s junior goalie, at 0:23.  It was Bonk’s first varsity goal for the USM co-op team.

The Wildcats took a two-goal lead at 10:01.  After killing a penalty, they once again got the puck into the Hayward zone and re-applied forechecking pressure.  In the left corner, Bonk confronted a defender and knocked the puck to Neudorfer below the goal line.  Neudorfer skated toward the net then decided to pass the puck back to Bonk in the left circle.  Bonk swiftly one-timed a wrist shot into the Hayward net.

The score stayed 2-0 until the final seconds of the second period.  Forechecking behind the Wildcats’ net, freshman Alex Pieterek bumped into a Wildcat defender forcing the puck to jar loose.  Donnellan snagged it then turned up the left boards.  She skated through the whole Wildcat team and finished an end-to-end rush by cutting into the Wildcats’ crease and shoving a backhander under the Wildcats’ senior goaltender, Juliana Strother at 16:10.

Hayward tied the score on a power play early in the third period.  Junior Riley Hess snared a loose puck behind the Wildcats’ net, skated toward the left circle, then sent a pass to Donnellan who was moving in from the blue line.  Donnellan quickly fired a low shot inside the far post at 1:34.

The goal gave Hayward hope, but the Wildcats were determined to not let it wreck their weekend.  They kept up their efforts and soon took the lead for good.  From the blue line, senior defenseman Hannah Gold fired the puck into the right corner of Hayward’s end.  Sheahan tied up a defender there allowing her freshman linemate, Zoe Neudorfer, to gather up the puck and skate into the left corner.  Neudorfer turned into the low circle and fired a shot on Quimby.  Sheahan had moved to the right post, and she tipped the puck into the net at 5:04.

Sheahan was elated at scoring her first varsity goal, “It felt amazing to score that goal.  It was one of the finest moments of my hockey career.  I am glad I got the opportunity to play with the varsity and help the team.”

The Wildcats gained an insurance goal at 13:12 while the Wildcats’ were on a power play.  The Hurricanes cleared the puck from their zone behind the Wildcats’ net.  Strother came out to stop it for Fritz to collect.  Fritz skated out of the zone unimpeded.  She dodged around two Hurricane players as she entered the Hayward zone.  She skated to the right and from the circle she pinpointed a shot that ricocheted off the far post and into the net to clinch the win for the Wildcats.

After the game, USM’s head coach, Dan Carey said, “It was a good win for us, a nice recovery after a tough loss yesterday.  It was good to see the freshmen contribute and create opportunities for our team.”

Hayward’s record is now 0-2.  The Hurricanes take on Medford in their home opener at the Hayward Sports Center at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 30th.

The win gave USM a 2-1 record.  The Wildcats play the Rock County Fury in a non-conference game on Tuesday, November 28th at the Edwards Ice Arena in Beloit.

WiPH Game Summaries