Orchard Lake – Jessica Pavela was determined that in no way was yesterday’s girls hockey CHSL championship game between Livonia Ladywood and Warren Regina going to turn out the way the last time these teams met.
That was about three weeks ago in a regular season contest that would probably have Ripley proclaiming: “I don’t believe it!” Regina won 1-0 in overtime – on only six shots on goal compared to 41 shots by Ladywood.
“I had to stay focused,” said the jubilant goalie after the Blazers blanked the Saddlelites, 2-0, for its sixth consecutive CHSL title. “I had to stop every shot no matter what I had to do.”
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Pavela, the only four-year senior member on the varsity roster, made all the right moves behind a scrappy defense, deflecting 17 shots, a half-dozen that could be classified as serious threats.
Ladywood (8-11) peppered Regina goalie, Kelsey Erne, 36 times with two pucks hitting the back of the net.
The first came about midway in the first period, a rebound muscled in by junior forward Rana Freij, and the other that clinched the victory, on a power play with 78 seconds remaining in the game on a slapshot from the left circle by sophomore forward Hannah Pereira that somehow slipped inside the goal post under Erne’s right elbow.
In between, Ladywood controlled the tempo of the game for the most part, playing with an intensity that made Blazers coach, Bruce Peck, a happy man.
“We wanted the defense to take care of its end, hoping to generate the offense to get as many chances as possible.”
“We could have taken more shots,” said a subdued Regina coach, Katie Labut. “It’s upsetting.”
There were a dozen power plays (seven for Ladywood) in the game, including a 5-on-3 opportunity for both squads. Senior forward Rebecca Montgomery had a chance to tie the game in the second period when her shot sailed wide left of an open net.
Regina (7-10) missed another chance to tie the game with 4:09 to play in the third period when Pavela squared up to frustrate freshman defender Sierra Kett’s hard shot.
Moments later, the Blazers’ senior forward, Jennifer Rohn, corralled a loose puck at mid-rink and skated in all alone, her shot missing left.
“I had so much going on in my head,” she said afterward. “I work on that shot in practice and always make it. I couldn’t finish it this time.”
A couple minutes later, her team co-captain, Pereira, however, made good on an opportunity created by a holding penalty against Montgomery. “That hurt us,” said Labut. “It gave us a chance to put our top power play line in,” said Peck.
Before the game, Rohn was commenting on the bruises on her left arm, right side and right leg still bothering her from a game against Walled Lake six days ago.
Was she still aching after the game?
“No, I feel fine. We won.”
Girls hockey honor teams announced
The Catholic League Hockey Coaches Association presented medals to the 2011 Hockey Honor Teams after the Ladywood-Regina game.
All Catholic honors went to Sierra Kett, Megan Taylor and Rebecca Montgomery, of Regina; and Jenny Rohn and Brittany Galvin, of Ladywood.
All League: Sarah Hackert, Erica Sauve and Alexis Lastomirsky, of Regina; Lauren Hensick and Madeline McClain, of Farmington Hills Mercy; and Hannah Pereira, of Ladywood.
All Academic: Rachel Garrity, of Regina; Erin Doyle, of Ladywood; and Kari Ungar, of Mercy.
