MARLBORO, Mass. — There was never a doubt for the Bishop Kearney Selects.
The No. 1 seed in USA Hockey's 19U girls Tier 1 tournament lived up to their top billing, rolling to a resounding 9-0 win over NAHA for USA Hockey's 19U Tier I girls national title.
Eight different skaters scored for BK. Nela Lopušanová scored twice, and Megan Healy (South Burlington, Vt.) and Rhianna Mayer each had a goal and an assist. Emeline Grennan made 14 saves in the shutout.
Evelyn Brown made 16 saves in a valiant effort in the crease for NAHA.
Paige Wallace opened the scoring for Bishop Kearney just before the midway point of the first, putting a wrist shot off the left post and in from the top of the right circle during a delayed penalty.
Anabella Fanale extended the lead to 2-0 with a highlight-reel goal, dangling through the defense to the front of the net before going forehand-backhand for the goal. Lopušanová's first of the game made it 3-0 on the power play with 1:47 to go in the first, beating Brown under the glove from the left dot.
BK tacked on three more in the second, including Lopušanová's second when she picked the top right corner from below the right dot on the power play.
They added three more in the third, including a shorthanded beauty from Healy, which made it 8-0 before Stryker Zablocki scored on a late breakaway for the 9-0 final.
Here are some standouts from the game.
Nela Lopušanová
BK Selects, 2/26/2008, F, left shot, 5-7
Hometown: Žilina, Slovakia
NCAA: Wisconsin
Lopušanová dominated this week, and Sunday showed why. She was a threat to score whenever she had the puck, and she had many ways to beat teams. Both of her goals were lightning-quick releases and perfectly-placed shots. The first was right between Brown's glove and pad, and the second was a beautiful finish off the cross bar from in tight. In the first, Lopušanová had a fantastic spin-o-rama bid on her backhand, working 1-on-1 against the defense. She got a lot on the shot and forced Brown to react quickly.
Megan Healy
BK Selects, 1/16/2007, D, left shot, 5-4
Hometown: South Burlington, Vt.
NCAA: Princeton
Healy's vision of the ice and skating helped her stand out all week, and they were on full display in the final. Those traits gave her a big-time edge in facilitating breakouts. Her goal was one of several highlight-reel plays for BK. She anticipated and easily stole a pass in the neutral zone shorthanded and danced between the defense as she dangled to the front of the net and went forehand-backhand. Earlier in the game, she made a good defensive play inside her blue line to tie up the puck-carrier before winning the battle and getting a clear.
Miami Jones
BK Selects, 4/7/2007, D, right shot, 5-7
Hometown: Chevy Chase, Md.
NCAA: Dartmouth
Jones put the finishing touches on a great week with a dominant sequence for her goal. With no options on the near side, Jones took a tour of the neutral zone and drove across the ice. It opened space for a cross-ice dish to Mayer for an entry. Mayer drove to the corner as Jones darted through a seam to the front of the net, putting herself in a perfect spot to one-time Mayer's feed.
Anabella Fanale
BK Selects, 5/19/2007, F, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Webster, N.Y.
NCAA: Minnesota
Fanale scored perhaps the goal of the tournament when she flew into the slot with a ton of pace, maintaining her speed as she dangled through the defense and deked Brown to finish a forehand-backhand move on a wide-open net. It was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it goal, and Brown had absolutely no chance. Fanale sold the fake on her forehand and had all day to tuck home her backhand.
Paige Wallace
BK Selects, 12/21/2006, F, right shot, 5-5
Hometown: Huntington, N.Y.
NCAA: Clarkson
Wallace opened the scoring with a fantastic release. Coming over the blue line with speed, Wallace got the puck in a shooting position at the top of the right circle. It was off her stick in no time and perfectly placed, ringing off the far post and in.
Mikah Keller
NAHA, 11/17/2006, F, left shot, 5-6
Hometown: Mosinee, Wisc.
NCAA: Penn State
Keller was one of the bright spots for NAHA. She had good jump in her step and was active early, getting a few shooting chances early. In the second, she made a nice read and stole the puck from Healy inside the offensive blue line, thanks to some really quick hands. Later in the frame, she set up Kassidy Carmichael (Westford, Mass.) in front with a nice centering feed.
