Emily Bauer scored four times, with twin sister Elizabeth assisting on each, to lead the Central Wisconsin Storm to a decisive 7-0 sectional final win over the host Northland Pines Eagles on Friday night under the dome.

Northwoods girl’s hockey fans were out in force to see if their last, best hope could knock off the mighty Storm. Fans from Antigo, Rhinelander, Tomahawk, and Lakeland packed the dome to near capacity. Pines came in with an 18-4-2 record, a number two seed, and a tenth place ranking in the state. Just maybe, playing on their small, quirky ice sheet, they had a chance to end the Central Wisconsin stranglehold on Section 2.

As is customary for Pines home games, goalie Jenna Paez belted out a stirring rendition of the national anthem. Also customary in games with an underdog taking on a traditional powerhouse, the Pines student section played up the role of USA vs. the Soviets, ala 1980.

But the Storm was too fast, too deep, and too fundamentally sound to allow for any miracles. When the Eagles big guns, Amanda Sergent and Allison Sauvola got the puck and broke free, they were quickly chased down by the swarming Storm skaters. And when Pines did manage to generate a few good scoring chances in the second period, goalie Chloe Westberg kept the door closed.

The reality of the situation started to set in about four minutes into the first period. The Storm were cycling the puck in the left corner when Katelyn Ranthum found Elizabeth Bauer in the slot, and Bauer fired a shot over Paez’s glove hand.

Half a minute later, off of a face-off in the Storms zone, Teagen Tretter made a long pass to Katelynn Schilling who skated the length of the ice to beat Paez and give the Storm a 2-0 lead.

Paez ended the period with 8 saves, while Central Wisconsin goalie Chloe Westberg stopped all three shots she faced.

Ramthun teamed with Emily Bauer early in the second period to increase the Storm lead. Working the puck toward the Pines goal, Ramthun made a perfect pass across the crease to Bauer who was camped out on the back door. Paez had no chance to get across in time to stop the one-timer.

Schilling scored again with about four minutes to play in the second when she banked a shot off of a Pines defenders shin guards and into the net. Emily Bauer added two more goals in the second period to complete her hat trick, then added one more in the third for good measure.

Jenna Paez stopped 24 of the 31 shots fired at her. Chloe Westberg was only called on 11 times, but that included three or four wide open shots from in close in the second period.