The University School co-op girls’ hockey team won the Culver Cup Tournament by defeating the St. Croix Valley Fusion 4-3 Sunday afternoon in Madison.

In a tight, thrilling game between the third-ranked Fusion and the fourth-ranked Wildcats, the Wildcats roared early, scoring two goals in the first 68 seconds. The Fusion eventually tied it at 7:31 of the second period, but USM went back ahead just nine seconds later. Late in the game Nina Andersen scored a short-handed goal to put USM ahead 4-2. St. Croix Valley moved closer with a power play goal at 12:17 of the third period, but the Wildcats bore down, played tight defense, and deftly moved the puck out of the USM zone to keep the Fusion from scoring again. Heidi Golembiewski made key saves throughout the game to help the Wildcats win the Cup.

Jason Woods the Wildcats' head coach said, "That was a great game. We proved we're a team to contend with. Our top line got the goals we needed, and the second line and the defense played good defensive hockey against a very good team. We were playing without several key players and had three games in three days against some good opponents. Heidi showed her leadership and commitment to her team. She stepped up and met the challenge of playing goalie after not playing the position in two years. I'm proud of the teamwork, passion, and intensity all the girls showed today. Everyone knew what we expect and everyone got to work and did what we asked. I can't hope for more. We have lots of tough games ahead. This was a good way to get ready for the second half of the season and the playoffs."

The Wildcats wasted no time in demonstrating their ability to score against one of Wisconsin's top defensive teams. Andersen sent the puck deep into the Fusion's zone off the opening face off. Nicole Unsworth flew in to get it. She won it away from a defender below the goal line, whizzed behind the net, turned, and fed a pass into the low slot to Rose Revolinski. Revolinski caught the pass like a wide receiver, looked, and sniped a high bar down shot behind the Fusion's goalie Carlie Christensen at 0:20.

The scorekeeper barely had time to put the pencil down. Soon it was recording another USM goal. Once again the Wildcats moved the puck into the Fusion's zone and got to work forechecking. Revolinski took the puck away from a Fusion player and tapped it into the high slot. Unsworth captured it and moved around a defender. She closed in on Christensen, pulled the puck to the right around her, and buried it inside the pipe at 1:08.

The Wildcats nearly scored again a few minutes later, but Christensen and her cohorts stopped it.

The Fusion then moved closer by scoring a short-handed goal on a breakaway by Maddie Rowe that nearly floored at least one spectator at 12:38 in the first period.

St. Croix Valley tied the score at 9:29 of the second period when Hannah Zevenbergen intercepted a USM breakout pass near the USM blue line, skated in all alone and put the puck past Golembiewski on a deke.

The Wildcats were not distraught. They went back ahead nine seconds later. Revolinski won the center ice face off to Andersen who rushed into the Fusion zone and took a close in shot. The puck bounced into the air off Christensen like corn popping in a machine. It fell to the crease, and in the scrum that developed, Unsworth knocked the puck into the net at 9:38.

Both teams had more chances, but both teams had good defense and it wasn't until the Fusion went on the power play late in the third period that more goals were scored, USM made the score 4-2 at 5:34 when Hannah Koniar stepped in front of a Fusion player's shot and blocked it. The puck fell to Koniar's stick, and she tipped to the side to Andersen. Andersen flew off on a breakaway like a jet from an aircraft carrier. She dashed into the Fusion's zone, maneuvered past Christensen, and dropped the puck like a bomb into the net, thereby exploding the Fusion's hopes at 11.26.

The Fusion was still on the power play, however, and they eventually converted on it. As they moved the puck around the USM zone, Emma VanDell sent it to Rowe, who moved it on to Allie DeMotts in the left circle. DeMotts skated in on Golembiewski, swept past her, and shoved the puck inside the right post at 12:17.

The Fusion tried desperately to score another, but Golembiewski and the other Wildcats remained cool and prevented any more harm by getting the puck out of the USM zone and down the ice. Soon enough the Wildcats were lofting the Culver Cup as tournament champions.

USM is now 10-1-1 and 4-0 in the Eastern Shores Conference. The Wildcats play Beaver Dam in a conference game at 7:00 p.m. On Friday, January 3, 2014 in Beaver Dam.

The Fusion dropped to 8-4-1.