SAHA women’s team sweeps weekend at home

By JAMES TUBB on February 22, 2023.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The South Alberta Hockey Academy women’s team wrapped up their home schedule with wins this weekend.

In their last two games of the season at the Big Marble Go Centre, SAHA beat Northern Alberta Xtreme 2-1 in overtime on Saturday before beating St. Mary’s Academy 6-4 on Sunday.

Head coach Evan Vossen says the winning weekend matters even more as they wind down their regular season.

“For us to get both wins is important just for seeding and stuff like that moving into playoffs,” Vossen said. “Even though it is a few weeks away it’s just getting back on track after losing the last couple.”

The SAHA women’s team has one last regular season game in their CSSHL calendar, Mar. 9 against Edge, before playoffs get started Mar. 12.

Against NAX on Saturday, Téa Pearce scored early in the third period before the visitors tied it up a little over halfway through the final fram. In overtime however, Keira Grant scored the game winner 1:26 in. Maddy Ferguson made 25 saves in net for the win.

In Saturday’s game, Brooklynne Painter led the way for SAHA with two goals, with Norah Andrnyk adding a goal and an assist. Kendal Davidson, Ryan Harvey-Zenk and Kiyra Kletzel each had a goal, and Devyn Amundson made 16 saves.

Vossen says they’ll use the weekend’s success as a way to build momentum heading into a break for the Canada Winter Games before facing Edge and entering the playoffs.

“We’re going to get a few days off here with the break, which will be nice; we’ve played 49 games up until now,” Vossen said. “We’ve had lots of hockey and just a little recharge here, so when everybody’s back from Canada Winter Games, we get to go play Edge for our last one before heading to Penticton for playoffs.

“Using these two games this weekend to just get things back on track, and then hopefully our rest and we’ll be able to come back and really make our last push here.”

The weekend slate at home was also special for SAHA as they celebrated nine graduating senior players, Brogan Carlson, Chloe Stewart, Norah Andronyk, Davidson, Pearce, Amundson, Harvey-Zenk, Geneva Strutt and Painter are in their last season with the hockey academy.

It was an emotional game for the players who shared pictures afterwards, and for Vossen as well.

“We have five girls who have been with us since day one and the others for the last two years – there’s 23 years combined amongst the nine of them that have been a part of our program,” Vossen said. “For them it’s an emotional last one here, obviously lots of friends and family here and I was really happy with the way they played. With the team winning for them, it’s a nice touch.”

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