MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — A 16-and-under Vermont Shamrocks girls’ hockey squad that included Middlebury’s Alexis Bartlett lost in the Tier II national final on Monday in Marlborough, Mass.
The Shoreline Sharks of Connecticut scored in the third period to deal the Shamrocks a 1-0 loss, their first in the tournament. It was the second straight year the Shamrocks carried an undefeated record into the national Tier II final, only to come up short.
The Shamrocks had gone 5-0 in the tournament prior to Monday, including a 3-2 overtime victory in a Sunday semifinal game. In that game Bartlett scored twice, including the overtime game-winner.
Bartlett finished the tournament as the Shamrock’s top goal scorer with four goals and three assists. That four-goal total tied for the tournament high and her seven points tied for second in the tournament. Annika LaGue paced the Shamrocks with eight points (three goals, five assists).
The Shamrocks outshot the Sharks, 32-22, in the final, but Sharks goalie Carina Mancini stopped all 32 of the Shamrock shots. Kate Hagness scored the game-winner. Leo Clark made 21 saves for the Shamrocks.