Blake coach Laura Mark calls it her last resort.

Get the ball to two-time Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year Lydia Sutton and see what happens.

“That’s never a bad plan in my book,” Mark said.

Mark called Sutton’s number in the second half of a tight game and teammate Jordan Chancellor off for a penalty. And Sutton delivered her team’s final goal and provided a critical three-goal cushion with 8:19 remaining.

Four-time defending champion and No. 1 seed Blake sweated out its closest game against a Minnesota team this season. The Bears scored their fewest goals in a victory and won by the smallest margin.

“I’m proud of our team for coming out with this win,” Sutton said. “You learn from games like these.”

Stillwater’s defense frustrated the Bears, who led 4-2 at halftime. The Ponies cut the deficit to 6-5 in the second half but got no closer.

“Stillwater is a strong opponent so I expected a close game,” Mark said. “They deserve a ton of credit.”