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Hail to the champions, the fans declared as the Branford Lady Hornets hockey team defended their crown with a close hard-fought win over the Daniel Hand Lady Tigers.
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White’s goal was difficult for some of the Hand players who gave Branford all they could handle.
It was the culmination of the regular season in Girls’ hockey and it ended Wednesday night with a tremendous win in which the Hornets triumphed over the Tigers 2 – 0 in the SCC D II championship game at the Edward Bennett Rink in West Haven. It was the second year in a row Branford won the title.
Having beaten Hand rather easily two times, 6 – 1 and 7 – 0, during the regular season may have led the Hornets to some complacency in the championship game.
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Captain Lexie Harney, who was voted first team All State by the hockey coaches association, just misses on a goal in the third period.
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Erin Sheehan receives the Most Outstanding Player Award from the SCC Chairman Todd Petronio.
Only a goal by Captain Erin Sheehan at 9:13 of the second period kept the game from being scoreless through two periods. Sheehan was voted Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.
Branford came out after the second period with more intensity and kept the puck in the Hand zone often. Both goalies played very well. Julia SanGiovani of Branford stopped 18 shots and Hand’s Kylie Gargiulo stopped 29. Both are freshmen.
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Senior Kaitlyn White #2 fires a shot past teammate Sydney Hogan #10 and several Hand players to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead in the third period.
It was Kaitlyn White’s goal at 10:13 of the third that gave that Hornets a two goal cushion they never relinquished. After a pass from Julia Schatz, White fired a shot from 20 feet that got through traffic and slipped by Gargiulo into the right corner of the net. That took a little pressure off the Hornets as they played outstanding defense the rest of the game.
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Branford’s Marissa Guglielimi skates off the ice with the championship banner draped over her shoulders.
The Hornets finished the regular season with a 15 – 4‑1 record and are ranked 6th. They will play again Monday, March 2, against #3 Simsbury in the Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association Tournament.
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Presented with the SCC Division II trophy are: L-R Co-coach Jack Norton, tri- captains Lexi Harney, Marissa Guglielmi, Erin Sheehan, Co-coach Lauren Wiggins, Assistant coach Brian Haesche and Todd Petronio of the SCC.
The game will be played at the International Skating Center in Simsbury at 6:40 pm.
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Congratulations to the Girls Hockey Team. Great to see woman's sports highlighted.