Prior Lake junior Claire Hagen is as aggressive as goaltenders come and the style usually benefits her team, but Hagen almost paid for her active ways on Tuesday at Apple Valley.
As she was scrambling around the Lakers' net in the waning seconds of play in an attempt to drain out the clock, Hagen tried tossing the ball in the crease. It ended up rolling out, where Apple Valley’s Katie Moynihan scooped the ball and circled around the net.
“All I saw was (Moynihan) rolling the net, so I tried to push out and check her,” Hagen said. “I pushed her too hard and might have gone in the crease, but that was just me trying to do everything to stop the ball.”
With Prior Lake up by one goal, Moynihan was awarded a free-possession shot with Hagen out of the net and one tick left on the clock.
A gimme.
Moynihan scored easily for what would have been her sixth score of the game, but the Lakers elected to use their final stick check. The senior's stick was declared illegal, overturning the tying goal and ending the game 15-14 in favor of Prior Lake.
“To be honest, I wasn’t even thinking about (the extra stick check),” Lakers head coach Ali Minelli-Fenstermacher said. “I was thinking about overtime and how we were going to win the opening draw.”
Minelli-Fenstermacher doesn't fault Hagen's tenacity outside the crease. The junior is playing her first season with Prior Lake after transferring from Bloomington Jefferson.
"That's her style of play," Minelli-Fenstermacher said. "She comes out of the net, and we like to utilize that."
Luckily for the Lakers, Ashley Norberg’s quick thinking of using their spare challenge preserved a second-half comeback for Prior Lake (4-0, 3-0).
“I’ve seen it happen a lot in college,” Norberg said. “If we have the stick check, we might as well use it. We got lucky, and the stick wasn’t legal.”
The senior captain was a member of the Lakers' varsity team two years ago when Apple Valley’s Reagan Roelofs scored the game-winner in double overtime.
This time, Norberg was in no mood for another heart-jerking extra session with the Eagles.
Ranked No. 2 in the coaches’ poll, Prior Lake and sixth ranked Apple Valley have had their share of close skirmishes as members of the South Suburban Conference and Section 6.
“It’s definitely disappointing having that jubilation thinking we’ve got another chance going into overtime, and that quickly turned around on us.” Eagles coach Alexandra Ross said. “To come back and play them that closely, I’m not upset with it. I wish it was a win, but the girls played a great game and never gave up.”
Apple Valley (4-1, 3-1) rallied from a three-goal deficit in the final seven minutes of play to set up the dramatic conclusion. But two late goals from junior Sarah Pierson kept the Lakers afloat in the end.
“That last (Eagles) goal was a technicality, but all of our 15 goals were pure teamwork," Norberg said. "It was really nice to be on the other end of (a close win) - a little bit of redemption or payback in our eyes."
Prior Lake's Jordan Anderson (19) positions herself to scoop the ball. Photo by Trevor Squire
First Report
Prior Lake rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit to remain unbeaten and deal Apple Valley its first loss of the season in a 15-14 victory in a game that almost went to overtime.
The Eagles' Katie Moynihan scored with one second remaining in regulation to seemingly force the extra period, but the Lakers elected to use their final stick check following the goal. Moynihan’s stick was reviewed and confirmed illegal.
Ranked No. 2 in the coaches’ poll, Prior Lake (4-0, 2-0) received a team-high four goals from junior Sarah Pierson, including the game-tying and go-ahead goals late in the second half. The Lakers took over first place in the South Suburban Conference with the win.
Apple Valley (4-1, 2-1), ranked sixth, used a five-goal run to lead 7-5 at halftime, but couldn't close out the defending league runner-up. Katie Moynihan totaled a game-high six points (5 goals, 1 assist) for the Eagles.
