Junior Madelyn Malecha (#11) and sophomore Izabela Slechta (#8) celebrate after scoring a goal. Malecha scored, assisted by Slechta.
By MICHAEL ROY
Editorial Assistant
The Waseca girls’ hockey team was busy over the holidays, losing two of three and tying one.
Austin 4, Waseca 1
Action began Tuesday, Dec. 21 at Riverside Arena in Austin.
After a scoreless first period, Austin cashed in on two second period goals. The Jays answered with their only goal of the game by 8th grader Madalyn Benson, assisted by sophomore Emma Keith and 7th grader McKenna Mortensen.
Despite excellent defense, the Jays allowed two more Packer goals.
7th grade goalie Illamay Draheim allowed four goals in 50 attempts, a .920 save percentage.
Hopkins-SLP 7, Waseca 1
Waseca returned home Thursday, December 23, to face Hopkins-St. Louis Park.
Junior Alicia Kelly got the start at goalie in relief of Draheim.
Hopkins-St. Louis Park’s offense was relentless, scoring on every other shot in the first period, taking an early 4-0 lead.
Kelly improved at the net in the second period allowing no goals on fourteen shots.
Freshman Ryley Bartz scored the Jays only goal of the game, assisted by Benson.
Hopkins-St. Louis Park scored three more goals on nine shots in the final period.
Junior Alicia Kelly ended the night with a .774 save percentage, stopping 24 of 31 shots.
Rochester Century 3, Waseca 3
After Christmas, and a canelled game, the Jays hosted Rochester Century Thursday, Dec. 30.
Both teams struggled on defense. Following a scoreless first period, the teams traded two gaols each in the second period.
Rochester Century struck first and Waseca answered with two consecutive goals, one of them shorthanded.
The two teams quickly traded goals in third period, setting up overtime.
In overtime, both teams’ goalies played exceptionally at the net, resulting in the game ending in a tie. The result snapped the Jays seven game losing streak.
Seventh-grader Illamay Draheim played goalie in this game, saving 47 of 50 shots.
The Jays hosted Winona Tuesday and travel to New Ulm Friday, and Worthington Saturday.