Wildlcats Open Tournament with a Win

In the opening game of the first annual Girls Hockey Classic Tournament at University School Thursday night, the University School co-op girls hockey team defeated the Kettle Moraine co-op 5-3.

“It was one of our best efforts of the season,” said USM’s head coach Jason Woods after the game.  “We worked hard from the get go.  We came out fighting and showed we wanted this game.  We held one of the highest scoring teams in the state to less than their average.”

The Wildcats did start the game strong, and their efforts eventually led to the game’s first goal.  USM freshman  Rose Revolinski skated the puck into the Kettle Moraine zone and passed it back to senior defenseman Jessica Gold at the point.  Gold fired a pass toward the net to sophomore Abby Wigdale who flicked the in-coming puck past the Glacier’s goalie Jenna Bales at 10:26.

USM increased its lead with another goal late in the first period.  Senior Margot Peterson began the play by chipping the puck up the right boards in the USM zone.  Like a hawk, senior Ellie Wigdale was flying toward the puck, and she swooped it up and took off down the side. Junior Lane Tomesch sped into the play to create a two-on-one.  Crossing into the Glacier zone, Wigdale centered the puck to Tomesch.  Like a geometrician connecting points, Tomesch lined the puck over Bales’ glove at 15:23.

Between periods, Woods warned his team that Kettle Moraine would come out flying in the second period, and his foresight proved accurate.  Kettle Moraine tightened the score just 1:24 into the new period.  Sophomore Arianna Smith moved the puck to junior Jamie Ertl who skated down the left boards deep into the USM end.  Ertl sent a pass toward the crease.  During a scuffle for it, junior Morgan Hollowell knocked it past sophomore Heidi Golembiewski, USM’s goalie.

The Glacier continued to out skate the Wildcats early in the period, but the high-scoring Kettle Moraine team could not net a second goal until late in the period.   Smith knocked the puck behind the USM net, and Hollowell pulled it away from a scrum.  Hollowell wheeled out from behind the net and from low in the right circle she fired a shot that hit Golembiewski’s shoulder and deflected into the far upper corner of the net at 16:20.

Conceding a tying goal in the last minute of a period can deflate many teams, but the Wildcats were unfazed. With good senior leadership they fought right back and re-took the lead just 9 seconds later.   Taking the draw on the center ice face off, Ellie Wigdale pulled the puck to the side to her cousin Abby Wigdale who turned it back to senior defenseman Rebecca Hart.  Hart immediately chipped it up the right boards to Ellie Wigdale who was racing toward the Kettle Moraine zone. Wigdale skated deep into the Kettle Moraine end and cut toward the crease, From the low slot she backhanded a shot through the five hole between Bales’ pads at 16:29.

The goal inflamed the Wildcats’ passion to win, and they came out of the locker room in the third period raring to go.  They soon increased their lead.  USM senior Sally James sent the puck into the left corner of the Kettle Moraine zone.  A Glacier defender went for it, but, forechecking aggressively, senior Megan Bailey stripped the puck away and pushed it into the crease.  Freshman Nina Andersen shot it at Bales, then got her own rebound, and shot it past Bales just 3:14 into the third period.

A penalty with just two minutes left in the game gave Kettle Moraine a power play, and the Glacier scored on it at 15:53.  Irene Houguard took a shot that bounced around in front of the net.  Ertl gained control of it and quickly fired it into the net.

Down 4-3, Kettle Moraine pulled Bales for an extra skater in an attempt to score, but it was USM who made good on the opportunity.  Bailey got the puck in the USM end, skated toward center ice, and passed it to Andersen who was zooming ahead.  Andersen moved in on a lone KM defender, found an opening, and gunned the puck into the empty net at 16:14 to seal the victory for the Wildcats.

In the game Golembiewski made 13 saves while Bales made 24 saves.

USM is now 4-2.  They continue play in the tournament at 6:00 p.m. Friday when they host the Stoughton co-op team.