EHS Girls Hockey Falls 2-5 to #14 Lakeville North

Eagan's girls varsity hockey team fell 2-5 to a Lakeville North team that is big, strong, well-disciplined and ranked #14 overall among Class AA high schools.

Despite what seems like a lopsided scoreline, the Panthers seemed to have their hands full with a Wildcats team that, at times, matched their speed and technical prowess.

The scoring began just four minutes into the first period, when sophomore center Ashley Kloncz scored for the Panthers. The offensive display continued six minutes later, when freshman Billi Larson scored again for the Panthers.

Eagan refused to be intimidated by the bigger, stronger Panther team as the Wildcats' senior captain Bre Steele scored the period's last goal with six minutes left.

The teams finished the period with a flurry of aggressive hockey that showed more passion than discipline.

"We started slowly but began picking things up near the end," said Eagan supporter Mike Juricko after the first period. "This game is not over yet. There is definitely more scoring to come."

Juricko is the father of the Wildcats' junior captain, Megan Juricko.

The second period opened with two very different teams. Like prize fighters taking off a round to rest weary limbs, Eagan and Lakeville North came out more sluggish than slugging.

Halfway through the second period Eagan leveled the shots-on-goal difference to 13 apiece and momentum seemed to be shifting in their favor.

Just when the Eagan girls thought they had done everything right, Lakeville North struck again. The goal came with seven minutes to go from freshman Alli Harvey on the Panthers' first shot of the second period.

A Wildcat mistake five minutes later led to the Panthers' second goal of the period. Freshman winger Christi Vetter capitalized on a defensive miscue to put Lakeville North ahead 4-1 – it was the Panthers' third shot of the period.

"I think we let up a little. I don't know the exact numbers but we were outshot badly in that period," said Jeff Alexander, father of Lakeville North sophomore goaltender Cassie Alexander. "To Eagan's credit, they came out much more aggressive than us."

By the start of the third period, Eagan's hard-nosed, scrappy brand of hockey had returned. The Wildcats' Alyssa Markstrom scored their second and final goal of the game just 2:12 into the period.

But defensive miscues continued to plague the Wildcats.

A nifty pass from senior Emily Yetzer gave Kloncz a breakaway opportunity and her second goal of the game for a 5-2 Panther advantage.

Needless to say, Wildcat head coach Scott Darwitz was displeased with the result.

"I'm not happy with our performance at all," Darwitz said. "We didn't play aggressive. We knocked the crap out of Lakeville South earlier this week and then came out and did this. I'm disappointed in our goaltending. I'm disappointed in our play all around."