Northfield goalie Mallory Tidona (29) blocked a shot by Liz Schepers (13) of Mound Westonka in the second period. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune)
Stifling team defense and stout goaltending propelled No. 5 seed Northfield to a fourth consecutive postseason shutout, this one a 2-0 upset of No. 4 Mound Westonka in the state tournament quarterfinals.
Junior goalie Mallory Tidona earned her sixth shutout of the season, outdueling Mound Westonka senior Emma Polusny, who is committed to play at St. Cloud State. Northfield (19-7-3) entered the game not allowing a goal in any of its three Section 1 playoff victories.
This is each program’s second state tournament appearance. Neither won its quarterfinal game the first time. The Raiders advance to Friday’s semifinal, a 1 p.m. game against No. 1 seed Blake.
Kate Boland, a sophomore defenseman who made a verbal commitment to Bemidji State, scored with just 57 seconds remaining in the first period for a 1-0 Northfield lead. Boland now has 11 goals this season.
Mound Westonka (21-6) had a chance to draw even. Liz Schepers, a senior forward and Ms. Hockey semifinalist with 56 goals this season, got in alone at the Northfield net in the second period but Tidona made the save.
Northfield’s victory marked the first for a lower-seeded team in the Class 1A quarterfinals since 2014.
The teams traded brief power-play chances midway through the third period but neither got a goal.
A Northfield shot on Mound Westonka’s empty net hit the post with 30 seconds remaining. Boland gave her team a cushion with an empty-net goal with 14 seconds remaining.