Badgers season ends at the hands of Waterloo

By: Marc MacDonald

Posted: 2/27/07

With a playoff berth still at stake, Brock hosted Waterloo that would most likely send the winning team into the playoffs.
On Feb. 23 the Badgers had one goal in mind - to beat the Warriors. It came down to the current sixth place team, Waterloo, holding a one-point edge on the seventh place Badgers.
Brock's recent method of operation has been to score early, and then hopefully hold onto the lead, which in recent games has been difficult to do.
True to form, graduating forward, Heather Goemans, opened the scoring in the first period, when she batted in a loose puck on the power play. The goal was nice, but minus the win it was not how she wanted to go out.
"It's a heartbreaker," said Goemans. "We had so much confidence that we were going to pull in the win, it just didn't come out that way."
After five years and the most games played by a Badger, the reality of not suiting up anymore hasn't hit Goemans just yet, but is well on its way.
"I think next week when we don't have practice, that's when I'll really notice it."
Down by a goal, Waterloo was not phased, making smart decisions with the puck, forfeiting shots towards the goal with Badgers in the way, in favour of dumping the puck into the corner, away from danger. This calm, cool and collected mentality of Waterloo had them hanging around all game, showing the rare spurt of urgency in their attack.
Patiently, Waterloo awaited their opportunities, and was granted a gift on a terrible giveaway by Brock defender Tika Patrie early in the second period.
With her back to centre ice, Patrie back-handed a soft puck up the middle of her own zone right onto the stick of Waterloo forward Kaitlyn MacDonald.
MacDonald walked in alone on rookie netminder Beth Clause and beat her five-hole, knotting the affair at one.
"You have to be ready at all times," said Clause. "I tried to poke check but it didn't go over so well."
Clause, in just her second game in months due to a sprained knee, gave the Badgers every chance to win, making big saves when called upon, a feat she hasn't been able complete due to her aforementioned injury.
"It's hard to sit there and watch. Obviously you want to be in there, and you think you can do it, but you have to suck it up."
The remainder of the period saw Brock generate pressure on Waterloo goalie Alexis Huber, getting every last poke at her, before and after the whistle, much to the dismay of the Waterloo players.
Waterloo came out flying in the third period, mounting attack after attack, but unable to put in the go-ahead goal.
Kate Allgood, Brock's and the league's leading scorer, was invisible for most of the night, not looking like the player everyone is used to seeing. Aside from a partial breakaway, Allgood failed to dominate a game that she should have.
"I think we battled hard, but you have to give Waterloo credit, they battled hard too," said Allgood.
It wasn't just Allgood who was MIA all night, there were several Badgers who failed to answer the call.
"I think all our senior players needed to have the game of their lives," said Goemans. "I don't think I did either, but we needed to step up."
With the referee putting his whistle away in the third period, the Badgers were denied their opportunity to capitalize on their speed, often impeded by Waterloo clutches and grabs.
"They were playing for the tie," said Erskine. "Both their goals were off broken plays, they were trapping early and a lot of the obstruction was let go, taking away our speed."
Waterloo scored the game-winning goal just six seconds after a Brock timeout on a scramble that deflected off a stick and beat Clause.
"I thought overall we played well, especially in the second period, but again, they went right into their trap and shut us down."
Along with Goemans and Allgood, Nikki Nelson and captain Briar Komenda suited up for the last time at home in a Brock uniform.
With nothing left to play for on Feb. 24, the Badgers headed to Western where the Mustangs shut them out by a final of 2-0.
Erskine, while disappointed in missing the playoffs, was satisfied with his team's performance.
"Overall I was proud of the girls, we just fell a little bit short."