VA Wins NEPSAC Quarterfinal Game
#2 Vermont Academy hosted #7 Kimball Union in the NEPSAC Division II Semifinals for a 3:30 pm matchup. In their three previous meetings, this season Vermont has gone 2-0-1, the most recent win resulting in the Wildcats winning the Lakes Region Tournament for the first time in school history. Vermont had only been able to put up two goals on the tough KUA goalie, however, this game was a different story.
The first period opened with both teams coming out strong and end to end play. Chloe Aurard ‘18 was able to break through halfway through the first when she capitalized on a pass from Kristyna Kaltounkova ‘20. Two minutes later Vermont scored again on the power play. Lotti Odnoga ‘18 was credited with the goal and Kaltounkova the assist. Odnoga passed the puck to Kaltounkova on the back door who passed it back to Odnoga, and she put it in the back of the net.
Odnoga opened the scoring in the second period when she skated the length of the ice and beat the goalie top shelf for her second of the game. The period was a battle with both teams controlling play at different times. KUA was able to score in the last minute of the period to head into the third, 3-1.
The third period opened with Vermont on the penalty kill. However, this did not stop Kaltounkova and Aurard as they stormed down the ice. Aurard passed to Kaltounkova who beat the goalie under the glove. Later in the period, Klara Jandusikova ‘20 scored off of a quick shot from the point. Kaltounkova and Aurard assisting on the goal. KUA did not give up until the end. They scored with a minute left to make it a 5-2 game.
The Wildcats move onto the semifinals against #6 St. George’s, who upset the #3 seed. Time and place are TBD for Saturday since St. George’s is over the 2 hours and 45-minute NEPSAC travel playoff rule.
Vermont Academy is a coed college preparatory boarding and day school in southern Vermont, serving grades 9-12 plus a postgraduate year.
