Dec 05, 2021 | Trevor Russwurm | 257 views
U15 Girls Come Up Short In Semi's At Pink On The Rink
The Lockhart Funeral Home U15 Meteor Girls competed in the 'C' Division of the South Huron Pink On The Rink Tournament on December 3-5th, falling 3-2 in the semi-finals to West Oxford Inferno in a thrilling matchup that required a shootout to determine who would advance to the championship game.
After a scoreless first period, Mitchell's Jade Huygen opened the scoring assisted by Grace Laverty. After West Oxford would tie the game, time was running down when Josie Walker scored the go-ahead goal with 1:28 remaining on a spectacular effort from her knees. The celebration was short-lived, as West Oxford would again tie the game with under a minute remaining. When five minutes of 3-on-3 overtime failed to determine a winner, the game would go to a shootout. Walker would score the only Meteors goal, and West Oxford would tally twice to send them to the championship game vs Wilmot Wolverines.
The locals opened tournament play on Friday morning against the host South Huron Sabres, facing off at 10am in St Mary's. Mitchell dominated the entire game, led by Walker's 4 points (2G 2A). Macie Russwurm (1G 2A), Brooklynn French (2G), Brooklyn Boville (1G 1A), and Laverty (1G 1A) rounded out the scoring in a 7-1 victory.
The girls continued their offensive onslaught and strong defense in game two that afternoon against an unfamiliar foe Walkerton Capitals, coming out on top 6-0. Huygen found the net twice in the game, and single goals were scored by Alexis Gettler, Teagan Hickling, French, and Laverty. Walker and Boville would each add two assists, and Rachel Haefling, Haileigh Templeman, and Russwurm would each record one helper. Goaltenders Alissa Insley & Kora Smith would share the shutout.
The final round robin game on Saturday morning in Hensall featured another new opponent in the Upper Maitland Mustangs, and Insley & Smith once again backstopped the team to a 9-0 shutout win. Walker continued her torrid scoring pace with another 4-point game (2G 2A). Additional goal scorers were Addy Wolfe, Laverty (2), Templeman, Hickling, Boville, and Haefling. Templeman and Wolfe each had a pair of assists, with singles awarded to French, Haefling, Boville, and Huygen.
Finishing 3-0 in round robin placed the Meteors in first place in Pool A, and matched up with the Ilderton Jets in the quarter-finals on Saturday evening. The strong due of Insley & Smith combined for a third consecutive shutout in a 3-0 win in Exeter. Laverty (1G 2A) led on the scoresheet, with Haefling and Boville also finding the back of the net. Boville, Russwurm, and Templeman would each add single assists to send the team to the semi-finals on Sunday morning.