How do you defend a Chaska/Chanhassen offense that averages five goals per game and features the state’s second-leading scorer in senior Lydia Passolt?

Wayzata had the perfect answer in senior goaltender Sarah Stelter, who racked up 21 saves to earn the shutout as the Trojans marched past the Storm Hawks 3-0 on Tuesday night at the Chaska Community Center. 

Stelter made all the saves she was supposed to, and then some. She denied multiple breakaway chances and point-blank shots to cement the win for Wayzata, ranked No. 4 in the Class 2A coaches' poll. 

“I don’t really look at the other team before I go into the game,” Stelter said after facing Chaska/Chanhassen's high-powered offense.

“I tend to just focus on what I need to do in order to win this game,” Stelter added. “It’s all about mentality.”

Stelter’s commitment to the mental aspect of the game also helps her defensive corps, giving senior blue-liner Izzy Shannon added confidence.

“She’s a brick wall,” Shannon said. 

Stelter earned her 28th career win on Tuesday, stretching the Trojans’ record to a sparkling 3-0-0. 

That hot start bodes well as Wayzata's schedule gets more difficult as the season goes, Shannon said. 

“(The record) definitely gives us confidence going into the harder games we’re going to have against (No. 6-2A) Maple Grove and (No. 2-2A) Minnetonka,” Shannon said. 

Trojans coach Becky Wacker attributes part of the team’s success to its offseason work. 

“The improvement that I’ve seen from last season to the start of this season is phenomenal,” Wacker said. 

Part of that improvement includes learning to overcome the graduation of former standouts and Division I players Sophia Shaver (Wisconsin) and Paige Sorensen (Merrimack). 

“The girls are rallying around the fact that we lost Sophia and we lost Paige,” Wacker said, adding that the team has shown an effective scoring balance this season without Shaver, Wayzata's leading goal scorer last year. 

Stelter’s performance this season, allowing just one goal and posting two shutouts in three games, has made her a crowd favorite, an affection that Wacker said extends to the locker room. 

“Everybody loves (Sarah),” Wacker said. “She works hard, and the girls protect their goalie.”

Senior goaltender Sarah Stelter finished with 21 saves to earn the shutout as Wayzata defeated Chaska/Chanhassen 3-0 at the Chaska Community Center on Tuesday night.

Senior defender Izzy Shannon, senior forward Maddie Wolsmann and senior defender Sami Meister each scored a goal while junior forward Natalie Heising had two assists for the Trojans (3-0-0), who are ranked No. 4 in Class 2A in the latest coaches’ poll. 

Senior goaltender Bailey Jackson made 22 saves for the No. 15-2A Storm Hawks (2-2-0). 

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