The Luverne girls’ hockey team faced three of its strongest opponents this past week on the road.
The Cardinals lost a close 3-2 game to Albert Lea Tuesday, Jan. 10, before beating the Breckenridge-Wahpeton Blades 8-1 Friday, Jan. 13.
On Saturday, Jan. 14, Luverne dropped a 10-0 contest to the Warroad Warriors, 2021-22 Class A State Champions.
The Cardinals were scheduled to make up a postponed game with Minnesota River at home Tuesday. They’ll face New Ulm at home Thursday, Jan. 19, and they’ll travel to Kasson to play Dodge County Saturday, Jan 21.
Albert Lea 3, Luverne 2
The Luverne girls’ hockey team traveled to Albert Lea on Tuesday, Jan. 10, when the Tigers struck early for a 3-2 win.
Albert Lea played tough defense and was able to keep key Cardinal skaters in check and off their game.
The Tigers were called for five penalties in the game, a total of 10 minutes in the box, but Luverne was unable to capitalize on those short-handed opportunities.
In the first period Albert Lea scored at 1:17 with no response by Luverne.
In the second period eighth-grader Tenley Behr scored at 2:44 unassisted to tie the game 1-1.
In the third period the Tigers added two more goals.
At 13:58 Tenley Behr scored again assisted by Ella Apel and goalie Mallory Von Tersch to cut the Tigers’ lead to 1.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals were unable to find the goal one more time to tie the game up, and the game ended with a 3-2 LHS loss.
The Tigers’ goalie stopped 29 of 31 shots on goal from the Cardinals.
Luverne’s goalie Mallory Von Tersch stopped 13 of 16 shots from Albert Lea.
Luverne 8, Blades 1
The Luverne girls’ hockey team took down the Breckenridge-Wahpeton Blades 8-1 at the Ella Stern & Harry Stern Sports Arena in Wahpeton Friday, Jan. 13.
The Cardinals powered their way to the Blades goalie, pelting her with 21 shots on goal.
The Blades produced only eight shots on goal, beating LHS senior Mallory Von Tersch one time.
Senior Kamryn Van Batavia scored her second double hat trick this season, her first one was Jan. 9 against Worthington.
Van Batavia now has 36 goals for the season, placing her four goals behind Warroad senior Rylee Bartz in the scoring leader race for 2022-23.
In the first period Kamryn Van Batavia got Luverne started with a goal at 2:11 assisted by Ella Apel and Hannah Woodley.
Van Batavia then scored at 6:34 on a power play assisted by her sister, Ellie, and Payton Behr.
Behr scored Luverne’s third goal at 16:33 assisted by Kamryn Van Batavia and Mallory Nelson.
Anika Boll finished the first period with a goal at 16:54 assisted by Ella Apel and Mallory Nelson.
Luverne led 4-0 after the first period and kept the Blades to only one goal in the second period at 2:25.
Kamryn Van Batavia added four goals for Luverne in the second period.
Her first came at 8:20 on a power play assisted by Macie Edstrom.
Her second was at 11:43 assisted by Behr and Nelson.
Her third goal was seconds later, listed at 11:43, playing short-handed, assisted by Behr and Kassidy Saarloos.
Her final goal of the second period came at 14:24 assisted again by her sister, Ellie.
The third period had no scoring by either team.
Warroad 10, Luverne 0
The Cardinal girls’ hockey team played in Wahpeton again at the Ella Stern & Harry Stern Sports Arena on Saturday, Jan 14, this time against Warroad, the 2021-22 Class A State Champions.
This season, to date, the Warriors are 17-2-1 and are favored to make a state title run again this year.
LHS found the Warriors to be as tough as their reputation implies, unable to muster a suitable challenge against a well-oiled machine.
The Cardinals’ record moved to 11-5 after Saturday’s 10-0 loss to their biggest regular season opponent of the year.
Luverne was able to get off 17 shots on the Warrior goalie Jordyn Werk, but Werk blocked them all.
Senior Mallory Von Tersch faced 47 shots from Warroad, stopping 37 of them.