EDINA-Olivia Wiskow, Ella Kalusche and Abby Pohlkamp netted goals for Class 2A's 10th-ranked Brainerd/Little Falls Warriors, who defeated the North Wright County RiverHawks 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the Walser Invitational Wednesday, Dec. 26.
The RiverHawks grabbed an early lead before Wiskow found the net on BLF's only power play of the game. Emma Booth and Marre Welinski assisted on Wiskow's score for a 1-1 tie at the first intermission.
Gabbie Smith assisted on Kalusche's goal that put the Warriors up for good midway through the second and Pohlkamp punched in the eventual game winner unassisted a minute into the third.
The Warriors killed off all three RiverHawk power plays and BLF goalie Olivia King rejected 12 of 13 NWC scoring chances in the final period. NWC outshot BLF 28-19, including 13-5 in the third.
The Warriors also beat NWC 4-2 in an earlier matchup Dec. 18. BLF improved to 10-2-1 while the RiverHawks are 10-4. BLF advanced to the semifinals 5 p.m.Thursday, Dec. 27, against Maple Grove, which defeated Stillwater 3-1 in the tournament opener.
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North Wright County 1 0 1-2
Brainerd/LF 1 1 1-3
First period: NWC-Chloe Finnerty (Sydney Lemke, Mackenzie Bourgerie) 7:45; BLF-Olivia Wiskow (Emma Booth, Marre Welinski) ppg 11:24
Second period: BLF-Ella Kalusche (Gabbie Smith) 7:43
Third period: BLF-Abby Pohlkamp 1:03; NWC-Mackenzie Dunn 4:18
Shots on goal: BLF 19, NWC 28
Goalies: BLF-Olivia King (26 saves); NWC-Anna LaRose (16 saves)
Overall: BLF 9-2-1. Next: Walser Invitational: BLF vs. Maple Grove in semifinals 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27.
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