Tigers pay back Eagles at Schmitz-Maki
By Pat Rupp
Back on December 9, Apple Valley broke an eight-game losing streak and won its first game of the season with a 3-1 win over the Tigers at the Apple Valley Sports Center.
Tuesday’s rematch at Schmitz-Maki Arena provided coach Jon Holmes’ team a bit of redemption in a nail-biter of a 4-3 South Suburban Conference overtime victory over the Eagles.
The win moved Farmington back to the .500 mark in South Suburban play and upped its overall season mark to 11-9-1.
Ellie Moser’s second goal of the night 5:41 into the scheduled eight-minute extra session provided the game-winner.
“We made the game interesting by taking a little over half a period off,” Holmes said.
Early on the Tigers seemed to be in control. Kenzie Hauswirth scored the first two goals of the game, one in the first period and one in the second, but the Eagles’ Natalie Breckner countered with two of her own for a 2-2 tie heading into the final period.
“We dominated in the first period but only scored once,” Holmes said. “We had eight shots hit the net. In the second period we got comfortable and gave up a couple of sloppy goals.”
Moser’s (from Hauswirth) goal regained the lead for the home team 37 seconds into the third period, an edge that held until Mackenzie Ess forced overtime with a goal with fewer than five minutes to go in regulation.
“We played well in the third period,” Holmes said. “Their goal came on an unlucky bounce for us. It seemed to have eyes.”
Tiger defender Dani Wright recorded her second assist of the night on Moser’s overtime goal, a rocket from just inside the slot. Hauswirth finished with a three-point night with two goals and an assist.
“We really needed this win,” Holmes said, “Not for the conference standings or the section seedings but for ourselves to prove we could mentally come back in a game we controlled early.
“The last time we dominated like that we ended up losing in overtime to Burnsville. Tonight we managed to persevere and get the win.”
The Tigers will look to make it two in a row Saturday afternoon when they make the short trip up Highway 3 for a South Suburban contest with Rosemount at the Rosemount Community Center.