South/Bartlett forward Isabel Dupree fires a shot on goal. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
You could say South/Bartlett forwards Elayna Tunney and Isabel Dupree were on the same page during Friday’s 11-4 win over Service/East.
Barely 15 seconds into the first period, Dupree assisted Tunney’s first goal of the night – and at least one member of the duo played a role in eight of the team’s 11 goals. The two also paired up to assist each other’s goals not once, but twice in the game.
Add in Holly Rogness, who recorded her first hat trick and an assist, and the team was virtually unstoppable behind this trio.
“They’re all just a bunch of monsters. Really talented kids,” said South/Bartlett (2-2-1) acting coach Xavier Schlee, who filled in on coaching duties during Friday’s game. “There’s not much to coaching them, you just point them in the direction, and they go.”
The team racked up five goals in the first period alone – two from Tunney, one by Taylor Maddox, and two from Rogness in the last two minutes of the period. The second period saw goals from Dupree, Tunney, and Ella Rozzi, and in the third, who else but Dupree, Rogness, and Tunney sealed the win for the Wolverines/Golden Bears.
Despite the loss, Service/East (0-5) players put up a valiant fight, with Lyliana Bradbury netting two of the team’s four goals, along with goals from Sherylynn Simbre in the second period and Hannah Katchen in the third period. Bradbury, Katchen, Anika Newhouse and Sydney Ecenarro each earned an assist.
South/Bartlett’s Audra Shilling moves up ice. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Shannon Darling, Lola Hickman, and Newhouse all put up staunch defensive efforts for the Cougars/T-birds and goalie Maddie Rennard notched 18 saves.
Even with the stand-out offensive showing by South/Bartlett’s forwards, the most stellar performance of the night may have been at the other end of the ice from brand-new goalie Lorena Estevez, who made her first appearance in net during tonight’s game and recorded 15 saves.
“Great, it was really good,” Estevez said after the game. “I’m just exhausted.”
A French foreign exchange student, Estevez is new to hockey and skates on the JV team. She didn’t expect to play on varsity until her coach asked if she wanted to try playing goalie.
“I said ‘yeah’, because I’m going to be here only one year,” she said. “So, I tried (in practice) Wednesday because I wanted to try before this game, and I was doing great.”
South/Bartlett faces undefeated league-leading Dimond/West (4-0) at 5:45 p.m. Friday before the winter break. Service/East will look to earn its first win Jan. 12 against the Mat-Su Ravens (1-2-1) at 6 p.m. at UAA.
Service/East’s Lila Steele starts the attack. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Girls Hockey Standings
| POINTS | TEAM | RECORD |
| 8 | Dim/West | 4-0-0 |
| 6 | Chu/ER | 3-1-0 |
| 5 | Sou/Bar | 2-2-1 |
| 3 | Mat-Su | 1-2-1 |
| 0 | Ser/East | 0-5-0 |