Hill-Murray Girls Hockey Team Advances to Section 4AA Semis
The Hill-Murray Girls hockey team advanced to the Section 4AA Semifinals with a 4 -0 win over North St. Paul/Tartan on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Aldrich Arena in Maplewood, MN.
After a scoreless first period, Hill-Murray sophomore Regan Berglund got the Pioneers on the board – with the eventual game-winner- scoring at 12:54 of the second period. Freshman Sophie Olson and junior Ella Topp assisted on Berglund’s goal, her 9th of the season. Senior captain Ellah Hause added an unassisted goal late in the second period to put the Pioneers up 2-0 after two periods.
Hill-Murray earned the top seed in Section 4AA after an impressive regular season record of 21-3-1 with losses to only Edina, Minnetonka and Benilde-St. Margaret’s. The Pioneers success has been due in part to the strong play of junior goaltender Grace Zahn, who recorded her 9th shut-out of the season on Saturday against North/Tartan. Zahn’s record is now 19-3-1. She has a save percentage of .95% and a 1.16 goals against average.
Juniors Chloe Boreen and Maddy Morrell each added a goal in the third period to propel the Pioneers into the Section 4AA semifinals where they’ll face Eastridge, the #5 seed in Section 4AA, at 5 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Aldrich Arena. The Pioneers outshot North St. Paul/Tartan 45-13 in their quarterfinal victory.
Section 4AA second seed Gentry Academy will play the third seed Stillwater in the other section semifinal. That game will be played immediately following the Hill-Murray/Eastridge game on Tuesday. The Section 4AA Championship game is Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 pm at Aldrich Arena.