Crosstown rivalry ends in Knights win
By: Alexis Bohlinger on March 04, 2021
https://www.grossepointenews.com/articles/crosstown-rivalry-ends-in-knights-win/

The University Liggett Knights and Grosse Pointe North Norsemen saw a crosstown rivalry Feb. 26, at East Side Hockey Arena. The final score of the game was 6-0 in the Knights favor, with junior goaltender Logan Merriweather earning her first shutout of the season.

The Knights took the lead early in the game with back-to-back goals from Ava Jacob and Gabrielle Anusbigian. The second period saw goals from Elle Quinlan and Madeline McKee. The Knights stretched the lead even further in the third with goals from Morgan Hamilton and A.C. Doppke.

“I know that in these crosstown games, there’s always a little added incentive for the girls to go out and play at the top of their game as a lot of these girls grew up playing together,” said University Liggett head coach Greg Paddison. “Against North, I could clearly see that the girls were pretty dialed in and from the first puck drop, and it’s comforting as a coach to know that despite how unconventional this season has been, the girls are still focused on the task at hand.”

According to North head coach Casey Quick, his senior goaltender, Mia Cassar, played an outstanding game and his defensive squad worked hard to keep the slot area relatively free from rebounds. Quick admitted, however, that his team was simply outplayed on the physicality aspect of the game.

“Liggett is a very physical team,” Quick said. “I give them a lot of credit on their backchecking and knocking us off of the puck. They kept us away from the net and offensively, we just could not generate shots.”

Paddison paid back the compliment to his opponent stating that “despite having a short bench and being in the midst of a rebuilding year, Grosse Pointe North plays hard with a lot of fight. It’s clear that as those girls get some experience playing together, they’re going to improve very quickly.”

The Norsemen look forward to playing Grosse Pointe South on Monday, March 8, in what they hope to be a very competitive game.

“We have some very skilled players on our team, although we are in the process of learning the game and rebuilding depth,” Quick said. “We are a good team to play against because we play tough defense and we can keep you away from our net. We hope to start generating more offensive opportunities as our girls continue improve.”

The Knights are proud to carry an undefeated record of 8-0-0 and look forward to continuing to improve while also being able to enjoy the game a little as a result of their success.

“I think the girls have bought into the idea that success is when yesterday’s goals become today’s expectations,” Paddison said. “While we certainly want to remain humble and focused, there’s definitely a wave of confidence building around the locker room and that confidence lets our girls play the game without putting too much stress on themselves or finding themselves proverbially ‘gripping the stick too tight.’”