Wildcats Win Field Hockey Playoff Game

The varsity field hockey team began its quest for its third straight Wisconsin High School Field Hockey Association state tournament championship by defeating Living Word Lutheran 3-0 in a lopsided quarterfinal playoff game at USM Tuesday afternoon.

USM’s head coach Tom Carter assessed the game bluntly, “I don’t think Living Word ever made it into our circle.” USM’s senior goalkeeper Margeaux Hagemann began the day with great expectations for some action, but the USM defensive end soon became a bleak house for her because all the play occurred at the other end. 

The Timberwolves' circle, meanwhile, became a curiosity shop since the Timberwolves’ game plan seems to have been to pack all their players into their own defense and fend off the Wildcats’ offensive barrage to the best of their ability. The tactic kept the score low, but in reality it backfired. Without being challenged upfield, the Wildcats' artillery could fire at will. USM put 20 shots on the Living Word Lutheran goal. Many other USM shots could not make it through the jungle of Living Word Lutheran defenders. However, many of those shots hit feet and legs.  That gave the Wildcats short corners and forced the Living Word Lutheran to clear the undergrowth, opening the circle for the Wildcats to maneuver and shoot. USM had 17 short corners in the game. Living Word Lutheran had none.

USM eventually penetrated the Timberwolves' thicket for goals. The first came with 11:57 left in the first half. Senior Billie Fritz got the ball near the top of the circle and lined a pass across to sophomore Kendall Youngblood. Youngblood struck like lightning and the low shot thundered off the backboard supporting the Living Word Lutheran net.

The Wildcats scored their final two goals in the second half. Fritz and Youngblood got the play going. Youngblood sent a pass to Fritz who gunned a shot at the Timberwolves' beleaguered senior goalie Abby Weber. Weber made the save, but the rebound went to the stick of USM senior Jenna Seter who was charging to the net like a hungry lion. Seter finished the play by bashing the ball into the net at 26:44.

A short corner opportunity led to the Wildcats' third goal. Junior Meredith Jeffers inserted the ball to senior Maggie Schroeder.  Schroeder blasted a low shot toward the left post of the cage. Jeffers collected the ball there. She stick handled around several Living Word Lutheran defenders like a monkey swinging through the vines and put a shot into the net at 13:20.

The loss ended Living Word Lutheran's season. The win gave USM a 20-0-3 record and the ability to advance to the state tournament semi-finals.