After winning one game in their first two seasons as a program, the Whaler girls hockey team cruised past the Old Rochester Bulldogs 8-3 to improve their record to 2-1 this season. Senior captain Evelyn Fey led the way for Nantucket with four goals and played a sound three-zone game all night long as the Whaler’s top center.
“Evelyn is a leader on and off the ice,” head coach Liz Collins said. “She just doesn’t stop working. She plays so hard and she is so talented. To see her score four goals tonight doesn’t surprise me given who she is and what she has meant to this team over the past three years.”
Fey quickly pivoted away from her personal performance after the game to explain that she feels like her team’s recent success is a team effort.
“Three years ago we started off with barely anything,” Fey said. “Just a group of girls and two coaches that have an interest in the sport. Now we have a full bench of girls eager to hit the ice. Liz, Cassie (Thompson), Max (Perkins), and Teddy (Nixon) have been guiding us to a very successful season.”
Fey scored her first two goals in the first 1:53 of the game to give Nantucket a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Bailey Lower, who scored four goals in the Whaler’s last game, continued her scoring surge. She was able to use her speed to create a breakaway opportunity that she put in the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Sophomore Emerson Pekarcik was back in the lineup after missing the last game and added a goal of her own to make it 4-0 late in the first period. The Bulldogs scored a late goal in the opening frame, but Nantucket still held a comfortable 4-1 lead going into the second period.
“We played a full team game,” Collins said. “We kept our calm and our collective when the other team started to get chippy.”
Lower scored her second goal with 11:06 left in the second period to make it 5-1 Nantucket. Both of Lower’s goals showcased her speed. Collins said Lower is a tremendous athlete who can blossom into an even more dynamic player as her playmaking abilities continue to develop.
The Whalers continued to mount pressure on the Bulldogs, but were unable to score again in the second period. The Bulldogs added another late period goal to make it 5-2 going into the final period. While the Whalers were unable to hold the Bulldogs scoreless in either of the first two periods, Collins still believes her team’s defense was stellar all night long.
“I thought Hannah Evens played out of her mind tonight,” Collins said. “I thought EJ Hemingway and Mia Beaudette played fantastic as well. Those three really solidify our back end.”
Fey completed the hat trick 4:21 into the final period and Beaudette scored 49 seconds later to make it 7-2. Beaudette’s goal was assisted by Alex Wisentaner. It was Wisentaner’s first career varsity point.
Fey scored her fourth goal late in the period to seal the deal and give Nantucket another victory. Fey said one player who continues to impress the team and play an important role in their early season success is goalie Caroline Allen.
“I want to recognize Caroline’s immense improvement since last year,” Fey said. “We’re all so proud of her. I am looking forward to our next games.”
The Whalers will look to improve their record to 3-1 when they host the Falmouth Clippers on Saturday at 5:15 p.m.
