The Whaler girls hockey team went on the road Thursday afternoon and destroyed their island rivals, Martha’s Vineyard, 4-0 to cap off their season. Senior captain Evelyn Fey needed two points entering this game to reach 50 points for her career. Fey did just that, scoring the Whaler’s third goal and assisting on the fourth to become the first player in the program’s young history to pass the 50 point mark.
“I thought that was the best game we have ever played in the three years of the program and you wish you had more games left after (Thursday) given how well we have been playing,” head coach Liz Collins said. “I felt that same way after Brookline about our play, so to follow it up with an even better performance makes me very proud of this team. These girls deserve so much credit. They just kept working hard all year and they have improved so much. We had an amazing practice (Wednesday), the night before the game, and everything looked so good. The girls were executing everything perfectly and they were having a blast in their final practice. They just carried it over into (Thursday).”
Collins said sophomore defenseman Hannah Evens was pegged with the responsibility of giving a pregame speech before Thursday’s game to the players. It may have been one of the coaching staff’s best decisions of the day, Collins said.
“Hannah did the pregame speech and I will tell you I have never seen that kind of energy from my team pregame or that level of sustained energy for all three periods,” Collins said. “I have no idea what she said to them but whatever she said worked. They were fired up all game. The coaches could barely hear each other talk because the girls were so loud for all three periods. Hannah played really well too and she just continues to get better as a leader of this team.”
Freshman forward Mayson Lower scored the first two varsity goals of her career. Mayson’s first goal, which was also the first of the game, was assisted by her sister, sophomore forward Bailey Lower. Bailey skated around three defenders, looped around the Vineyard’s net, and found Mayson in front of the net for the tap in.
“Mayson has worked really hard all year and she has been so close to scoring these past couple games,” Collins said. “She is young and learning just like any young player. She has been working hard on her breakouts and going hard to the net. She has been doing it better and better everyday. I always knew she was capable of this and we all believed she could. I felt like for her the final pieces were all put together on Thursday from all that hard work throughout the season. I have never seen so much joy and happiness from our team or on the girl’s faces than when she scored and got back to the bench.”
Sophomore goalie Caroline Allen had her first career shutout, which is another indication that the future is bright in net for the Whalers. Collins said sophomore boys hockey goalie Griffin Starr stayed after his team’s practice to work with Allen during one of the girl’s practices recently.
“I’ve said it before but we all love Griff and what he has meant to this program,” Collins said. “He was working with Caroline while we worked with the team and it is clear that his assistance definitely helped. She had some really good saves today and the progress she has made all season has been amazing to see. She loves hockey and is only going to get better. We are going to work with her to help her in any way we can to set up different clinics and camps for her to go to where she can continue to learn, grow, and develop. Her potential is so high.”
Claire Misurelli scored the other Whaler goal. Collins said Misurelli is another player who continues to get better and will be a core piece for this program moving forward. She said she felt junior captain Lydia Johnson played with a lot more confidence today, was controlling the puck better, and completing more of her passes.
“Lydia is one of the hardest working players on the team and she is one of our grinders who does those little things you need to do in order to win,” Collins said. “Today I think she had one of her better games and I’m looking forward to having her back here next season.”
The Whalers finished their season with a 4-12-1 record after winning just one game in their first two years in program history.
