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Health & Fitness

Wildcats Give Waterloo its First Loss

University School's hockey team defeated Waterloo High School of Waterloo, Iowa 2-1 Tuesday.

Facing an unknown opponent can be worrisome. Facing one that is undefeated can add to the worry. Tuesday, in the opening round of the Joe Raymond Memorial Hockey Classic at the Nagawaukee Ice Arena in Delafield, the ice hockey team faced off against Waterloo High School of Waterloo, IA., a team the Wildcats knew little about. They did know that the Warriors had a 15-0 record coming into the game. The Wildcats' worries diminished as the game wore on, however.  They realized they were equal to the task presented by the Iowans.  At the end of the game the Wildcats also knew that Waterloo was no longer undefeated. USM won the game 2-1.

Waterloo had firepower. The Warriors outshot USM 29-23 in the game. Despite missing two defensemen, the Wildcats and their sophomore goaltender, Bryan Botcher, were able to keep the Warriors off the scoreboard until the last minute of the third period. USM meanwhile scored a goal in each of the first periods. 

USM's first goal came late in the first period. Senior defenseman Nathan Burke broke up an on-coming Waterloo rush in the USM zone. He chipped the puck off the left boards into center ice. USM senior Corey Roadhouse cut across and snared the indirect pass. Roadhouse sped down the side into the Waterloo zone. He cut into the high slot and buzzed a shot over the glove of Waterloo's goalie Chance Kremer at 16:25.

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The goal gave the Wildcats momentum, and they dominated the second period, outshooting the Warriors 10-3 in the frame. Eventually the Wildcats wore their opponents down and scored their second goal late in the period. It came on a power play. As the Wildcats moved the puck around the Waterloo zone, it went to senior Ashton Wackym on the left mid-boards. Wackym lined a pass to sophomore Duncan Brown on the far end of the blue line. Brown fired a shot, and junior Joey Judge tipped it past Kremer to give USM a two-goal lead at 14:55.

The previously undefeated Iowans seemed stunned to be trailing in a game, and in the third period they skated like they had more fuel in their tank. But Botcher and his USM comrades held the Warriors off until just 31 seconds were left on the game clock. At that point, the Warriors scored a short-handed goal after having pulled Kremer. Bryce Frost grabbed a loose puck in the Waterloo zone and flipped it ahead to Connor Hyde who took off on a breakaway with Sean Cavanaugh. A USM back checker caught Hyde, but as he fell, Hyde slipped the puck to Cavanaugh.  Cavanaugh moved in on Botcher and gunned a low shot past him for Waterloo's only goal.

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In the game Kremer made 21 saves and Botcher made 28. 

The victory improved USM's record to 6-4. The Wildcats hope to continue improving it when they face the Janesville co-op in the tournament's second round Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Nagawaukee rink.

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