The University School co-op girls’ hockey team defeated the St. Croix Valley Fusion 6-0 in the championship game of the Culver’s Cup Tournament Monday at the Madison Ice Arena in Madison.

One of the main reasons the Wildcats took home the hardware was the hard work put forth by Liz Ostermeyer, the Wildcats' goaltender. She blanked the Fusion, turning aside all 21 shots by the opponents.  Ostermeyer's teammates took 32 shots at St. Croix Valley's goalie, Ellen Coggio, putting 6 past her.  Nicole Unsworth scored 3 of the Wildcats' goals while Rose Revolinski, Jessica Malloy and Sloan Sullivan scored 1 goal apiece.  Unsworth's hat trick gave her a total of 12 goals, nearly half of the 26 goals the Wildcats scored in the three games of the tournament.  They relinquished a mere 2 goals to their tournament opponents.

"This was one of our finest efforts," said Jason Woods, USM's head coach.  "We played our most complete game of the year.  Our goalie, defense and offense all played well. The puck movement was fantastic and our defensive efforts were spot on.  Liz did what she had to do in the net as well.  Terrific effort all around."

The Wildcats took little time getting ahead in the championship game.  Early on they got the puck into the Fusion end and cycled.  Nina Andersen snared it behind the net, moved toward the left corner and passed it to Revolinski in the near circle.  Revolinski's one-timer was too fast for Coggio and USM led at 3:11.

The game stayed close until late in the first period.  The Wildcats took a two-goal lead at 12:33.  Forechecking in the neutral zone, Malloy attacked a Fusion defenseman, stripping the puck away from her like it she was removing wallpaper.  The puck squirted into Fusion's zone.  Malloy hurried to it, moved to the right and gunned a high shot into the upper left corner of the net.

The Wildcats scored again in the last seconds of the first period.  Sullivan stopped a clear at the Fusion line, and blasted a shot on net.  The rebound caromed to the left circle.  Andersen was there.  Her shot was high, hard, and decidedly accurate at 16:45.

The action went back and forth in the second period.  The Fusion outshot the Wildcats 11-9 in the period, but only the Wildcats scored.  Unsworth got a loose puck in the Fusion zone.  She showed it to two different defenders, but pulled it away more swiftly than they could check it.  She deked Coggio and slid the puck across the goal line at 9:21.