Nick Lavalle, the girls’ hockey director and head coach for the Glenview Stars’ 16U team, said the team had a “spectacular ride,” despite falling one-game short of its goal.

The Stars lost 3-0 to the Rhode Island Sting on Sunday, April 7, in the title game of the 2024 Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier II 16U 2A National Championships at Cornerstone Community Center in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin.

“We went up against a really good opponent from Rhode Island that just did not give us a lot of time and space, that really stymied us, especially early on. Plus, they got a couple of bounces,” Lavalle said.

The Sting struck in the final minutes of the first period, scoring twice to build a 2-0 lead after the opening 17 minutes.

“When they got up 2-0, we just weren’t able to recover, but still fought the whole game,” Lavalle said. “Their goalie was good; she turned away everything we had.”

Sting goalie Jayden Elias stopped 21 shots from the Stars.

Glenview goalie Casey Stockbridge faced 24 shots.

The Stars finished 55-6.

“I’m really proud of the girls,” Lavalle said. “From where we started to where we ended, it was a magical season … making it to the last game of the season.”

The Stars won their first five games of the national tournament, played April 3-6, including a 3-1 semifinal win over the Sno-King Jr. Thunderbirds of Washington.

“We played some great teams, and I think we represented Illinois hockey as best as we could,” Lavalle said.

Carolyn Bomely (4 goals) and Abigail Schrantz (3 goals, 2 assists) had exceptional tournaments, as did goalies Reese Reynolds and Stockbridge.

“Every game, someone different stepped up in a different way,” Lavalle said.

The stars stopped the New Jersey Bandits 2-0 in the quarterfinals with goals from Schrantz and Madelyn Pasterick.

“The team play that we had in the semifinals and quarterfinals really stands out, what really defined us this week. We played tremendously in all three zones in those games,” Lavalle said.