Nov 22, 2023 | Dave French | 71 views
Busy Week for the U-18 Girls
The GC Financial U-18 girls had a very busy week including 6 intense and highly entertaining games in 6 days.
On Monday Nov 13 the Meteors hosted the West Oxford Inferno in a very tight game with both teams exchanging chances. Neither team was able to find the back of the net until 9:41 of the 3rd when Jordyn Crawford opened the scoring with assists going to Andrea Kelly and Claire McCorkindale. Less than a minute later, Kaylyn Klumper added another on a breakaway with a nice breakout feed from Jade Huygen with Alexis Gettler also assisting. The Inferno pressed and were able to get one back but Mitchell held on for a 2-1 win.
On Wednesday the girls hosted the Wilmot Wolverines who were seeking revenge after losing to Mitchell earlier in the season. Defense had their hands full all night, protecting their goalies from the hard charging Wolverines but did a great job in supporting their netminders. Both teams played with a lot of emotion resulting in a game with numerous penalties which made the power play and penalty kill more important. Kelly scored with a PP goal at 7:01 of the first and then again in the second on the PK with assists going to McCorkindale and Gettler. Josie Walker added a goal in the second from Kelly and Gettler to take a 3-0 lead and the goaltending duo of Shawni DeJong and Kora Smith turned aside all opposing shots to share the shutout.
On the weekend, the girls played in the Stratford Aces tournament and stepped up a level to play in the "B" division.
Game 1 was versus the eventual finalists, the Mount Forest Rams and the Meteors did not disappoint. The girls came out flying and before the 1st period was over had skated to a 3-0 lead on goals by Walker, Brooklyn Boville and McCorkindale. Assisting were Crawford(2), Huygen, Brooklynn French, Klumper, and Haileigh Templeman, The Rams fought back hard but were only able to get 2 past goaltender DeJong as Mitchell held on for a 3-2 win to start the tournament.
Game #2 versus the Twin Centre Hericanes proved to be just as an exciting game as the previous. The Hericanes opened the scoring in the second but Mitchell squared things up soon after on a goal by Kelly from McCorkindale.
Twin Centre took a 3-1 lead in the third setting the stage for an exciting finish. Smith closed the door in goal, backstopping Mitchell for the chance to comeback. With just over a minute left in the 3rd, Boville picked up the puck and raced down the ice to bring the game to 3-2. Then with the goaltender pulled, off of an Abby Gemmell point shot, Templeman was positioned perfectly to jamb in the rebound and tie the game 3-3 with 22 seconds left to earn the point with the tie.
Game 3 vs Stratford proved to be a very tight game with both teams exchanging chances but Mitchell was not able to find the scoresheet eventually losing a very close 1-0 game.
The Meteors needed a win in game 4 vs a strong Collingwood Lightning team in order to lock in a spot in the playoff round. The girls fought hard but the fatigue of a busy week caught up, eventually falling 6-1 in the game.
The lone goal going to Walker from Boville and Kelly.
The girls played very hard and earned a lot of respect for playing in a higher division in this tournament and should be very proud.