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Storm battles past Hurricanes in semifinals

By Michael Trzinski, 03/02/12, 7:29PM CST

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Gazzolo scores twice and adds an assist in Storm win

Kylie Gazzolo scored two goals and added an assist and Kristine Fonti stopped all but one shot she faced as the Central Wisconsin Storm defeated Hayward/Spooner 4-1 in Friday's opening girls semifinal match held at the Alliant Energy Center.

Gazzolo scored just over three minutes into the first when she tucked a shot just inside the left post past Lady 'Canes goalie Sarah Miley, with an assist to Sarah Parcells.

Gazzolo buried a rebound on the power play about six minutes later to increase the Storm lead to 2-0. Sarah Poirier and Rachel Babiarz earned helpers on the play.

Shots were even at six as the period ended with the Storm's two-goal lead.

Noel Weber came out to play in net for Hayward/Spooner to start the second period.

The Lady 'Canes cut the lead to 2-1 late in the second period when Holly Turnbull was credited with a goal that bounced around in the crease and was tapped in at 15:26. Hannah Dvorak earned an assist on the play.

The Lady 'Canes held a 10-3 shot edge in the period.

The third period was scoreless until Kelly Knetter scored on the power play at the 10:51 mark when she used a screen to score from the mid-slot to make it 3-1. Gazzolo was given an assist on the play.

Parcells ended the scoring with 1:19 left. The Lady 'Canes pulled Weber off for an extra attacker, but the puck started coming into their zone, so she rushed back out and got to the net just as Parcells stuffed the puck past the sliding Weber.

Shots were even at four in the period.

Fonti stopped 19 shots in the win for the Storm, while Miley stopped four of six and Weber stopped five of seven.

The Storm improves to 23-3-1, while Hayward/Spooner drops to 21-3-1.

Central Wisconsin moves to the championship game for the third time, having earned a state title in 2008. They will face Onalaska, a 5-4 winner over KM Glacier in four overtimes.