Eutectics fall short in thriller against Ottawa

CREVE COEUR, MO – A wild conference matchup between UHSP and Ottawa came down to the final minutes in the fourth. A goal by Haley Smith tied things up at 9-9 with 2:40 to go. But the Braves got a go-ahead goal by Rilee Barnett with 1:05 remaining and then Brianna Valadao sealed it as Ottawa remained unbeaten in Heart Conference play with a 11-9 win.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS:

OTTAWA 11, UHSP 9

• Makayla Mason scored a goal 3:20 into the third to put Ottawa ahead 7-2 as the Eutectics struggled to find offense in the first half.
• Rilee Barnett had a pair of first period goals as the Braves led 4-2 after one quarter.
• Michelle Le and Molly Bierman scored the pair of first quarter goals for the Purple and Gold.
• Makayla Mason, who had tallied in the first, had the lone second quarter goal as OU led 5-2 at intermission.
• After Mason's goal to put Ottawa up 7-2, UHSP scored five of the next six to cut it to 8-6 by the end of the third. Le and Ella Penke scored on free position shots and Smith and Marisa Podio followed later in the quarter with goals.
• Caeley Doran had two goals in the fourth that each cut the deficit to one, including one goal from the left of Braves netminder Shelby Bearden that came from an incredible angle. Doran was forced out to the wing and was almost even with the goal line and somehow put one past Bearden.
• Michelle Le, Caeley Doran and Haley Smith all had a pair of goals for UHSP.
• Rilee Barnett scored four goals for Ottawa and Makayla Mason had three.
• It was an incredibly physical match as the Braves were called for nine yellow cards.
• Brianna Dixon made seven saves on 18 shots in goal for the Eutectics.
• Bearden turned aside ten UHSP shots of the 19 she faced.

UP NEXT:

The Eutectics (2-6, 0-3 HEART) stay at home on Wednesday when Eastern Oregon makes a trip halfway across the country to face UHSP. It is a 3:00p start from the Lou Fusz Athletic Complex.