GIRLS HOCKEY: Morris-Benson Area outlasts Worthington

WORTHINGTON — Despite two goals by defenseman Allison Kremer and a 28 save effort by goalie Amanda Bristow, the Worthington Trojans lost 5-2 to the Morris/Benson Area Storm Saturday in a Southwest Conference girls hockey game.

“The girls said they felt like this was probably one of the best games they have played all year,” Trojan coach Eric Milbrath said. “From my stand point, I think they can improve even more. They played well tonight, but there is room for improvement.”

The Trojans came out strong in the first period, shutting down the Storm’s offense and scoring a goal of their own on three shots.

“The whole team was working together really well today and they all seemed really focused and in tune with each other,” Bristow said. “That really helps me because then they aren’t in my way, or blocking my view and we were taking away some of their shots, too.”

Kremer scored her first goal of the game with 13 minutes, 53 seconds left in the period on a rush up the left side. She blew past the Storm defense and put a shot just over goalie Shianne Wold’s shoulder to put the Trojans up 1-0.

“The first period, everybody was really focused,” Kremer said. “Some games you can tell when we are not focused, but this game you could tell everybody wanted to get the win.”

Worthington took its one goal lead into the first intermission, despite being outshot 12-3 in the period.

“There was a lot of puck movement in that first period and we came in with a lot of confidence,” Milbrath said. “The girls had a little bit of a grudge from the last time we played them. They took that too heart, so coming into this game they had a chip on their shoulder and wanted to get some revenge. That showed in the first period.”

However, the Storm didn’t allow the Trojans to enjoy their lead for very long. Kamri Kalthoff took a pass on the backdoor and slipped the puck past Bristow to tie the game 3 minutes and 43 second into the second.

“I feel like we should have had another person in front covering them,” Bristow said. “It was really hard make a stop on that girl in front when no one was noticing that as much as they should have.”

Morris/Benson Area increased their lead to two less the 4 minutes later on a deflection in front of the net on a pass from the corner. Kelsey Rajewsky was credited with the goal for the Storm.

“I felt like each goal they scored we were able to pick our heads back up and help each other keep going,” Kremer said. “And we didn’t give up through all three periods.”

The Storm weren’t done after that either. They scored on a second deflected pass from the corner and a screened shot from the point to make to take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission. Morgan DeHaan and Hanna Lindblad scored the second and third goal respectively for Morris/Benson Area.

“Going back into the locker room after being up by one, we knew we needed to keep that up and keep our confidence up,” Milbrath said. “For the most part we did in the second. The girls didn’t feel like they played a bad period just because they let a couple goals in.

“They came in with their heads still up, they still wanted to go back and they still wanted to improve in the third. And they did that.”

The score remained the same until Kremer scored her second goal of the game on a 5 minute penalty halfway through the third on a slap shot from the point that beat Wold to pull the Trojans within two goals with 8:12 left in the game.

“I saw that the goalie was to the left side of the net and that left the right side open,” Kremer said. “I saw Bailey (Kruse) was over there and she passed to me and I shot put it in the net.”

The Trojans continued to pressure the Storm, but Abby Daly was able to rip a shot from the point past Bristow with 1 minute, 41 seconds left to seal the win for Morris/Benson Area.

“We were able to put the pressure on them during that 5 minute penalty,” Milbrath said. “We held it in their zone and the play wasn’t in our zone for most of the period. And that is a shift for us, because, normally, a lot of the play ends up in our defensive end. We had a lot more offense this game and that was nice to see.”

Worthington (0-13, 0-6) hosts the Windom Area Eagles Tuesday in the first game of a boy’s/girl’s double-header at 5:30 p.m.

“I think if we pick up where we left off in the third period today against Windom that it will be a really good game,” Kremer said.

M/BA 0 4 1 — 5

WHS 1 0 1 — 2

Daily Globe Reporter Jordan Willi may be reached at 376-7335.

Tags: sports, prep, girls, hockey, trojans