New Trier Powers Past Fenwick For Girls High School Hockey State Championship

By Ross Forman
Four New Trier players each had multiple points Sunday, March 15, leading the Trevians to their second consecutive Illinois Girls High School Hockey State Championships. The Trevians defeated Fenwick 5-3 in front of about 800 fans at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.

“This game was the culmination of what we’ve been trying to do here. We’re built on depth and have a lot of players who can really contribute, and we saw that today. We had a lot of people on the scoresheet,” said New Trier head coach Ben Piskor, who specifically ended the game with six seniors on the ice.

Megan Gallagher had a goal and an assist, including the game-winning goal, and was named the game MVP.

“This is just such a fun game to play,” Gallagher said. “We all came into the game pretty fired up; we came out really strong; we just wanted it really bad. All the girls, we were so driven to go back-to-back. We came out with some great plays and goals, forechecking and energy – that really helped us, setting the pace.

“I’m overjoyed (winning the MVP award); I’m really happy that I got it; it’s just a great feeling. I’m so over-joyed.”

Added Lily Vanselow, who had two goals: “It was a great feeling to (win) back-to-back (state championships); (this) was a great way to end the season and my youth hockey career, playing with all my best friends; I’m excited we got to end this way.”

The Trevians built a 2-0 lead midway into first period on goals from Julia Schuster (Gallagher and Lina Alberts assisted) and Avery Ko (Alexis Bornhoeft).

The Friars answered at 3:58 when Elizabeth Boveri scored the first of her three goals, assisted by Lyric Bessey.

Lily Vanselow tapped home a rebound goal for the Trevians with 2:02 remaining in the first period, assisted by Alessandra Lucchese, to give the defending champions a 3-1 edge.

In the final minute of the first period, Fenwick scored … or so it appeared. The team celebrated as a shot from the point into a slew of bodies in front of the net somehow trickled past New Trier goalie Juliet Drake.

However, the officials disallowed the goal, signaling a handpass.

“I just didn’t see it the way that it was explained to me,” by the officials, said Fenwick head coach Mason Strom. “I told the team that we can only worry about the things that we can control, (but the negated goal) rattled us. I don’t agree with the call. The explanation I got was not reality.”

Fenwick freshman defenseman Liliana Delao echoed Strom: “That (called-back goal) rattled us a little. Every goal is a mood swing, momentum builder. When they called it off, our momentum shifted; that would have been a huge goal for us.”

Instead, the Trevians led 3-1 after one and they outshot the Friars 19-3 in the opening period.

“We weren’t as prepared in the first period; they came out a little stronger; we weren’t fully ready,” Delao said.
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Strom added: “(That) definitely wasn’t the start that we wanted. I think our mindset at the beginning seemed more like ‘happy to be here,’ rather than ‘playing to win.’

“We seemed to have that deer-in-headlights feeling early in the game. We talked exactly how New Trier was going to attack us. Even shifting our defensive plan, they still were able to put goals in. They were bullying and out-numbering us on the backdoor and the weak side and in the rebound game.”

The Trevians pushed their lead to 4-1 when Gallagher scored from the right side at 6:24 of the second period, assisted by Schuster and Ko.

It went to 5-1 with 4:06 remaining in the middle period when Vanselow went upper corner, assisted by Alessandra Lucchese and Hilary Guo.

“It felt really good to score those two goals; I’m really happy that I got those gritty goals,” Vanselow said. “(This was) such a great way to end our hockey careers.”

The Trevians’ strong start was nice to see, Piskor said, especially since it’s been something New Trier has struggled with this season. “We’ve been more of a second and third period team. Today, we came out and set the tone,” Piskor said. “There was a different energy in the locker room today; these girls were focused and determined; I knew they were going to do something special.

“We forced them to make turnovers on their breakout attempts and we found ways to capitalize on that.”

Fenwick added two third period goals as Boveri completed her hat trick.

“The game, obviously, did not go as planned; the whole team is frustrated with the (outcome), but we played till the end and I’m really proud of (the team),” said Fenwick junior forward Kate Mulvihill. “Lili really kept us in the game.”

Alexis Sugarman was in goal for the Trevians for most of the third. Sugarman and Drake faced 15 shots, while New Trier attacked Fenwick goalie Michaelina Romero with 47 shots.