The University School co-op girls’ hockey team came from behind to defeat Hudson 5-2 in a non-conference game played Saturday at USM.

Trailing the Raiders 2-1 at the end of the second period, the Wildcats scored four goals in the final period to attain the victory. The Wildcats outshot Hudson 46-24 in the game, with the preponderance of their shots, 23, coming in the third period.  The Wildcats’ put together a great team effort to win the game.  Nicole Unsworth scored all five of USM’s goals.

Jason Woods, USM’s head coach, commented, “That was a great response. We needed a gut check and we found it against a hot goalie, and a very good team that plays a tough schedule.  We haven’t had to produce in the third period like that in a long time.  We played a good third period.  We have three conference games coming next week, so it’s good we played some good team hockey.”

The Wildcats scored the game’s first goal while playing short-handed.  They got the puck into the Raiders’ zone and applied pressure.  Rose Revolinski retreated the puck and sent a pass for Unsworth into the left corner.  Unsworth snagged it, skated out and around the near circle, and blazed her shot past Cassie Schultz, Hudson’s stalwart goalie, at 7:31 of the first period.

The deficit didn’t faze the Raiders.  They tied the game at 10:44 of the first period.  Taking a face off, Anna Wilgren tapped the puck to Julia Pettee who immediately fired it on net.  The puck dropped in front of Liz Ostermeyer, USM’s goaltender and Katie Meierotto rushed to the net and knocked it in.

Hudson took the lead with the only goal in the second period.  While on the power play, the Raiders controlled the puck in the USM zone and moved it around.  Soon Ali Takkunen got it in the right circle and lined a crossing pass to Wilgren in the far circle.  Wilgren one-timed a hard shot into the open side of the net at 9:12.

The goal gave the Raiders zest, and they pestered the Wildcats for the remainder of the period, but Ostermeyer stood her ground. The Wildcats had some good attempts themselves, but they too were unable to score anymore in the frame.

A determined group of Wildcats came out of the locker room in the third period and showed what they were capable of doing.  As a team they played smart hockey, moving the puck, playing position, shooting, and going to the net for rebounds.

They tied the game just 2:49 into the period.  The play began when defenseman Sloan Sullivan snagged a loose puck in center ice and skated into the Raiders’ end.  From the high slot she rifled a shot on net.  The rebound burst out to Unsworth who was flying toward the net.  Unsworth slashed a shot high into the twine.

USM’s next goal came on a power play.  “We rarely get power plays,” said Woods, “so it’s good we scored on the one we got today.”  The Wildcats moved the puck into the Raiders’ zone, reading the opponents’ positioning, and with hard work began to make things happen.  Revolinski sent it to Nina Andersen below the goal line.  Andersen spotted Unsworth skating into the slot and passed the puck to her.  Unsworth immediately lasered a quick shot past Schultz to give USM the lead at 6:34.

The Wildcats scored again late in the period.  Skating out of the USM end, Andersen raced down the left boards.  After crossing the blue line, she zipped a pass to Revolinski who was speeding down the slot.  Revolinski backhanded a pass to Unsworth on the right.  Unsworth lifted a quick shot into the upper left corner of the Hudson net at 13:06.

The Wildcats kept coming.  They scored a final goal with just 10 seconds left in the game.  Revolinski got the puck along the left boards and passed it to Andersen in the slot.  As Unsworth skated around her, Andersen passed the puck behind her back to her line mate.  Unsworth skated past Andersen and fired the puck into the net.

After the hard-fought win, USM is 11-1 overall and 2-0 in the Eastern Shores Conference. The Wildcats play the Fox Cities Xavier co-op in an Eastern Shores Conference game at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 8th at USM.