After two emotion-filled days, the roller coaster came to a stop for the Wisconsin Selects on Saturday. On Thursday, the team thought their season had ended after an overtime loss to Connecticut. Then Friday they learned they still had a path to the quarterfinals, but needed a win over Nashville. The team responded with a gritty 3-1 season saving victory over the Predators.
On Saturday, the Selects run at a second consecutive Tier II, 19U National Title ended with a 6-0 quarterfinal loss to the Minnesota Premier Prep White Yeti. Minnesota went on to defeat the Amherst Lady Knights 2-1 in the semi-finals and then captured the title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over the Northern Connecticut Lights at Brunswick Auto Mart Arena in Cleveland.
Wisconsin’s scoring drought reappeared on Saturday against a talented Minnesota team. In four games in Cleveland, the Selects were shutout twice and scored only five goals in the tournament. Head coach Emily Bauer struggled to pin point the team’s scoring issues. “Probably a combination of needing some better puck movement and some really bad puck luck. When you get to this tournament goaltenders are hard to beat unless you can get them moving. We needed to create more high danger chances and backdoor opportunities.”
It was an explosive first period for Wisconsin and Minnesota as the teams combined for thirty shots on goal (W-14, M-16) with the Yetis taking a 1-0 lead at 6:53 on a goal by Shelby Evans. Minnesota took only two penalties, but they were back-to-back to end period one and start period two. With a 5 on 3 advantage the Selects had several prime chances to tie the game, including a backdoor chance by Payton Dykstra that missed the net and a point-blank chance by Addison Gruhlke. At 10:31 with Selects Colby Sprenger off for tripping, Greta Culshaw-Klein made it 2-0 with a powerplay goal. Culshaw-Klein would finish with two powerplay goals and an assist.
Minnesota grabbed the momentum from that point on and Wisconsin had no answer. The Yeti finally capitalized late in the period. Jocelyn Grossman and Lauren Pottinger scored 31 seconds apart 3:36 and 3:05, chasing Selects goalie Greta Woelber. Makenna Hutchison took over for Wisconsin.
Minnesota held a decisive 19-7 shots advantage in the second period. “Greta has been a big part of our success all season,” Bauer said. “That second period was a shooting gallery and we didn’t give her enough help. She is a great kid and we will miss her next season.” Minnesota totaled forty-nine shots for the game to Wisconsin’s thirty-one.
When the Yetis hit the empty net with 4:19 to play the outcome had been decided. Minnesota finished the tournament out scoring their opponents 21-4 in six games. Isabelle Deutz dominated the tournament in the Yeti net finishing with a 0.66 GAA, and .973 save percentage. She allowed only one 5 on 5 goal during the tournament. Head Coach Bob Sherry, in his 8th season with the Yeti team, who announced his intent to retire at seasons end, will go out as a National Champion. Minnesota fell just short of an undefeated season at 20-1, winning their final 20 games after losing their first game of the season.
Wisconsin finishes their season at 18-11-1. The team will say goodbye to nine seniors; Rachael Beeck (Bay Area), Emmy Berger (Arrowhead), Reese Sheehan, Greta Woelber (Hayward), Addison Buesgen, Ashley Slupe (CFM), Gabi Heuser (CWS), Addison Gruhlke (ECA) and Payton Dykstra (Brookfield). It was an especially emotional farewell for Slupe and Gruhlke who are four-year veterans of the Selects program.
“A lot of tears in the lockeroom,” admitted Bauer. “A lot of emotions to process, falling short of our goal, saying good-bye to seniors and of course the end of the season.” Bauer expressed her gratitude for the players willingness to be coached and the sacrifice and support of the parents. “Thank you to the families for their support and for choosing Wisconsin Selects. I am very proud of our team and how we battled this week despite our scoring trouble. We will miss our seniors that are graduating and those who have been with us for multiple seasons, they’ve made a great impact on this program and their teammates. Special thanks to Mike Cowan for continuing to fight for this program that gives so many kids an opportunity to compete at a high level. And lastly thanks to my assistant coaches for all of their contributions to the team and the Selects program.”
Bauer added a special debt of gratitude for the Hayward girls who passed on their high school prom to make the trip to Cleveland. “I appreciate those girls choosing to be here with us this weekend, even though the tournament did not turn out the way we had hoped it would.”
