From USA Hockey
By Joe Harris
(Photo courtesy of marytranphotos)
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — If there’s a clutch gene, Taylor Bell has it.
Bell’s goal late in the third overtime lifted Midland University to a dramatic 4-3 win over Liberty University in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Women’s Division 1 championship game at the Centene Community Ice Center on Sunday night.
With 3:43 left in the third extra period, Bell pounced on a rebound with traffic in front of the Flames’ net to score the game-winner. Teammates immediately swarmed Bell after the puck crossed the goal line.
“I was astonished,” Bell said. “I had no idea. I was just so surprised, so in shock. It was awesome.”
It was the third straight overtime win for Midland in the postseason, starting with its final game in pool play — Bell scored the winner in that one as well.
“I’m so happy for ‘T,’” Midland coach Jason White said. “It’s been four years. She’s been a wonderful leader. She’s an amazing person and I’m just so glad she’s getting ready to celebrate.”
It is the first national championship for Midland, which lost to Liberty in its only other championship game appearance in 2022.
“It’s so awesome,” Bell said. “I’m so happy I’m a part of it. I’m so proud of everybody.”
Meghan Stewart made 78 saves for the Warriors and earned postseason MVP honors. She played her best when the stakes were the highest, making 29 saves across the three overtimes.
“My players are working so hard, I got to make the saves to just keep them going,” Stewart said. “It was just next save, next save, next save. That was my mindset.”
Victoria Campbell tallied a goal and an assist, while Darbi Poole and Makenna Larson also scored for Midland.
Haley Battles, Elisabeth Sarauer and Isobel Pettem-Shand scored for Liberty. In net, Alexandra Keith made 63 saves.
“The girls battled,” Liberty coach Frank Keating said. “I mean, tip our hat off to Midland. They deserved it. They played a hard-fought game.”
Battles cashed in on Liberty’s first quality scoring chance late in the first with an unassisted goal with 2:10 left to make it 1-0.
Poole evened the game for Midland with a power play goal at 3:13 of the second period.
Campbell gave Midland a 2-1 lead with 2:11 left in the second, jamming home a loose puck in front of the Flames net. Jaicee Huberdeau created the chance by stealing the puck behind the net and getting it in front.
“We’ve just got a hard-working, gritty team, with a little bit of skill as well, which is nice,” White said. “So, it’s been a fun, amazing year, and I couldn’t be more proud of these girls.”
Larson added to Midland’s lead with a slapshot from the right point at the 2:40 mark of the third period.
Sarauer got Liberty back in to with a goal at 9:34 to cut the Warriors’ lead to 3-2.
Pettem-Shand drew Liberty even with a power play goal with 4:30 left, burying a one-timer off a perfect feed from Brielle Fussy.
“We had a good chat in there between the second and third periods before we came out, and the energy started coming back,” Keating said. “Our ladies just put their head down, grinded it out, got a couple great goals, and we were able to tie it up.”
Stewart came up with several clutch saves as Midland had to fend off a pair of minor penalties in the first overtime period and she got her blocker on a partial break by Battles in the second overtime period.
“Meghan brought her ‘A’ game,” White said. “I just knew it was a matter of time. I talked to her before the game, and I said, ‘This is yours. Go take it.’ And she played amazing. She deserves this MVP 100 percent.”
Also on Sunday, Air Force beat Oakland University 5-3 in the men’s Division 3 championship game. Joseph Cesario recorded two goals and an assist, Samuel Jacobs scored two goals and Cooper Boulanger tallied a goal and three assists for Air Force.
On Thursday, Payton Stos’ goal just 59 seconds into the first period stood as the game-winner as Sault College edged Assiniboine College 1-0 in the Women’s Division 2 championship game. Farrah Farstad stopped all 29 shots she faced for Sault College, while Rachel Halldorson made 37 saves for Assiniboine College.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.
(Originally published at https://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1358307)
