WATERTOWN, Conn. — Williston Northampton took home the Chuck Vernon Trophy after a dominant 4-1 victory over Phillips Andover in the girls' Elite 8 Championship game on Sunday. The early minutes were even and entertaining as both teams traded goal-scoring chances. Alyssa Frazier and Nora Curtis were buzzing for Williston early on, displaying phenomenal chemistry...
WATERTOWN, Conn. — Williston Northampton took home the Chuck Vernon Trophy after a dominant 4-1 victory over Phillips Andover in the girls' Elite 8 Championship game on Sunday.
The early minutes were even and entertaining as both teams traded goal-scoring chances.
Alyssa Frazier and Nora Curtis were buzzing for Williston early on, displaying phenomenal chemistry and nearly awarding the Wildcats an early lead.
But Andover senior netminder Avery Rodeheffer stood tall between the pipes while facing plenty of rubber and action in her own end. Mounting offensive pressure from Williston put Big Blue firmly on their heels, but Rodeheffer kept the game scoreless through the end of the first period.
The tight period transitioned to a more one-sided, dominant performance by Williston Northampton as the defending Elite 8 champions dialed up the offensive pressure on Andover in the second period. Rodeheffer was finally beaten midway through the period.
Freshman forward Zola Piekarski put Williston up 1-0 with a slick wrister from the slot. Senior forward Emily Crovo added a second goal after collecting an Andover defensive zone turnover and ripping it past the Big Blue goalie into the net.
It wasn't long before the Wildcats added another goal: Miranda Calderone fired a wrister and beat Rodeheffer clean to add a third goal for Williston.
Andover began to open up its game and take chances offensively as it stared down the three-goal deficit. Williston netminder Olivia Ferebee looked far more mature than a sophomore between the pipes, repelling all of the pucks that came her way through two periods of hockey.
Andover captain Elisabeth Rourke nearly buried a wrister late in the second period, but Ferebee flashed a nifty glove save to keep Big Blue off the board. Claire Colvin and Molly Boyle had their share of chances early in the final frame, but Ferebee denied them too.
The game started to slip away, but a late power-play opportunity with four minutes remaining gave Big Blue hope. Williston's penalty kill stood strong, however, and killed the advantage off without much pressure around their own net.
Shortly after the penalty was killed, Williston forward Monique Lyons dashed any hopes of an Andover comeback after burying an empty-net goal with three minutes remaining.
Andover added a late goal when junior forward Maisy Ricciardelli scored with two minutes remaining.
Williston has captured the Elite 8 title in back-to-back years, the only two times the school has won it. Crovo was named tournament MVP.
