Bridgeport — Looking for their first win of the season, the Staples girls' ice hockey team challenged a strong Fairfield Warde-Ludlowe Coop team Tuesday.
The determined Wreckers took an early lead on Jenna Chusid's first goal of the season, but the Mustangs' depth and experience took over and Fairfield took home a 7-1 victory.
Staples' offense showed itself early, Kate Shanahan teaming with Brittanie Hamlin and Chusid in a coordinated rush up the right wing. Their foray into enemy territory ended with the first shot of the game and a save for Fairfield goalie Stephanie Gabriel.
Shanahan would take a second shot before Mustang Jill Fatibene took a solo into Staples ice only to be turned away by defender Charlotte Axhelm.
In the fifth minute, Hamlin launched the puck from the right wing into the Fairfield crease, where Chusid was waiting.
"I just found the puck in front of me," said Chusid. "I just knew that I had to push it in and I only had that one opportunity, so I just pushed it in, just finished it off. I play left wing so I'm usually the one to pass it into the center and it was cool being the one to score."
Chusid's goal gave the Wreckers a 1-0 lead that ended just over a minute later when Staples goalie Gwen Moyer turned away a shot and Ashley Lasota, uncovered in the Staples crease, picked up the rebound and tied the game. Three minutes later, the Mustangs would take the lead on Jamie Mercado's goal, ending the first period with a 2-1 lead.
A four-goal second period stretched the Fairfield lead to 6-1, but not without serious threats from the Wreckers.
Hamlin centered to Shanahan at the Fairfield red circle but the puck got snagged. Staples freshman Jesse Lepisto took a run, but Gabriel turned her shot away. Trailing 6-1 as the third period opened, the Wreckers continued their spirited attack. Abbie Beckoff broke free but ran into Mustang captain Katie O'Rourke.
Gabriel's sliding save denied Chusid a second goal. Three times, Lepisto came within a step of breaking loose for a one-on-one with Gabriel, but the last Fairfield defender was just quick enough to slow her until the others could catch up.
"You feel like you're flying on the ice," said Lepisto, not one to shy away from contact. "I look in their eyes and see where they're going to go."
TheMustangs scored once more and the Wreckers continued to fight back furiously, coming close but not quite upping their score.
"I think we have a lot of team spirit and that we've been working hard," said Chusid. "A lot of the team is kind of just beginning, but we're having a good time doing it and I feel like we've improved a lot."
Jenn Hoetz underlined Chusid's words with the final shot of the game that missed the Fairfield goal and rocketed off the boards with a resounding promise of goals to come.
