Tigers Unbeaten String to Three

by Pat Rupp

Marissa Agerter scored two goals and assisted on a third to lead the Tigers to a 5-2 South Suburban Conference win over Apple Valley Friday night at Schmitz-Maki Arena.

The win pushed Farmington’s unbeaten streak to three games and its conference record to 3-2-2. The Tigers are 4-2-2 overall.

“We really wanted to find a way to focus and start a game tough in the first period and for the most part we achieved that,” Farmington coach Jon Holmes said. “We dominated the play and kept the puck in their zone for almost the entire period. 

“Their handful of shots came when we would get a little too aggressive and/or didn't backcheck all the way to the net. We need to find a way to play 100 percent of the time where we are mindful of transitions.”

Cassie Knutson (from Dani Wright) scored her first varsity goal in the first period to get the Tigers off on the right foot. Later in the period leading scorer Ellie Moser (from Agerter) netted her team-high 12th of the season to give the home team a two-goal lead at the first intermission.

The visitors drew first blood in period two but Maddi Oines score in the period’s final minute made it 3-1 heading to the final period.

Agerter scored both of her goals unassisted in the final stanza, one on a highlight reel breakaway, to nail down the victory.

“All three lines played well with Oines and (Megan) Bernu in their second game back after injury. They have adapted and filled their new roles extremely well. 

“Oines took control of the play on a couple occasions really made an individual effort to get the puck out of the defensive zone or get the puck to the net and create opportunities.”

Abby Bollig worked the Farmington nets for the second time this season and built her record to a perfect 2-0 with a 24-save performance. In her two starts, Bollig has posted a .927 save percentage and a goals-against average of 1.50.

“Abby stepped up to guide us to a win,” Holmes said. “She has been looking better every time she gets in the nets--on JV and the varsity.”

Farmington finished the contest with a 41-26 in the shots-on-goal column.

“We had a couple of lapses in the second period,” Holmes said. “But we finished strong and got a tough South Suburban win. That is never a guarantee in this league.”

The Tigers close out the first round of conference play next week with a pair of games, Tuesday at home versus Rosemount and Saturday afternoon at league-leading Lakeville South. Sandwiched in the middle is a Thursday night non-conference road contest at Mankato East.