Friday evening at Bright in the second US Nationals semifinal, the Brown
Bears edged the Northeastern Huskies 3-2.  This match featured a stunning
first period.  Eventually Brown came up with the winning goal and advanced
to the championship match.
 
The game had an electric start.  Brown came out on fire.  They strung
together some fine passes and pushed the Huskies back.  Carly Regnier
(Jaime Abel) opened the scoring for the Bears on a power play when she
deflected a point shot.  Brown went up by two when Regnier struck high
after a nice head deke.  Northeastern's defense was looking suspect.  It
looked like Brown might blown the Huskies off the ice and then NU hit
back.  Stephanie Acres pulled off a wonderful ooh-la-la move to beat the
Bear defense and deke the goalie out of position before hitting home at
the short side.  Lovely goal!  Perhaps the goal of the year.  At that
point the game turned around completely and Northeastern was pushing Brown
back.  Acres (Hilary Witt) tied the game at two when she weaved her way in
on the Bear defense.  Using one of them as a screen, she drilled her try
high stick side.  Wow.  Bright has not felt that glorious in years.
 
In the second, both teams were off the boil.  Conservative hockey took
center stage.  There was no scoring.  As the final period evolved the
teams looked tired.  Both created some excellent scoring chances.  Brown's
goalie Alison Brewer came up with some huge saves to keep the Huskies off
the board.  Finally, Ali Kenney got the winner off a rebound that she
knocked over the NU netminder, with two minutes left.
 
Northeastern looked great at times.  When they were passing the puck and
creating chances they looked lethal.  In the end, they couldn't finish and
so lost the match.  The defense was lead by the strong steady play of
Erine Metcalf.  It was one of the best performances I have seen from her.
Early on, the pairing of Kim Beneduce and Jessica Ferwerda looked swell.
They kept it simple and were highly effective.  Fresher Jennifer Santerre
played a great two-way game.  Witt made some telling rushes and went oh so
close to winning it for NU.  The Northeastern woman of the match was
Acres.  When this kid plays, she is sublime.  Acres' touch was incredible.
Overall the Huskies went close.
 
Brown played a smart game.  They opened it up some and combined that with
their checking game to produce some fine hockey.  There were some players
who continued to use dubious tactics, but overall the Bears are on a roll
right now, and should do well in the final.  Regnier took her two goals
well.  She was on fire in the first and made some wonderful passes in the
last two periods.  Fresher defender Cara Gardner anchored the blue liners.
Her reads are really strong and she has the mobility to act and make the
play happen.  The Brown woman of the match was Brewer.  She kept her cool
under fire.  Brewer made some critical saves late in the game and secured
victory for her team.
 
 _____________
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 good shooting
 hungerf
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