Girls Hockey Completes Incredible Comeback To Cap Off Their Season

Photography by David Creed

For 16 games, the Nantucket girls hockey team didn't have much to celebrate. Untimely injuries left Nantucket shorthanded on most nights and it contributed to the 0-16 record the Whalers had with two games to go entering Sunday afternoon.

After beating East/West Bridgewater 3-2 on the road Sunday, the Whalers felt good about where their game was at entering their season finale, at home, against a 3-16 Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphin team despite losing 7-0 to them earlier in the season on the road.

DY and Nantucket were scoreless through one period, but after four Dolphin goals in the first eight minutes of the second period, it appeared the Whalers wouldn't be ending the season the way they had hoped. That was, until, Nantucket rallied and scored six of the final seven goals of the game to pull off an improbable 6-5 comeback win and finish their season with two consecutive wins.

"That was great. They never stopped in this game and it really showed," head coach Liz Collins said. "It was a full 45 minute effort and they never put their heads down. I mean, it was 4-0 at one point and now it is 6-5. The girls just never stopped. It was just a great way to end the season. To see the girls rewarded for all of the handwork and effort they put in all year, it is awesome to see them finish the season with two wins. They never quit.

Junior center Bailey Lower had a hat trick and finished the season as the team's leading goal scorer with 12 goals. She now has over 30 goals combined over the past two seasons and should be a candidate for a monster year in her senior season.

Eighth grade defenseman Mia Beaudette had a three point night (one goal and two assists) and finished the season with five goals and seven assists this year.

But the star of Wednesday night was junior captain Claire Misurelli. She scored two goals on the night, including the game winning goal with under a minute left in regulation while Nantucket was on the penalty kill. Misurelli has been the unquestioned leader of this team all year long, so it was fitting that she was the one to score the game-winner and help her team end the season on a high note.

"It was a long season for them but tonight we had a full, healthy team," Collins said. "We haven't had that all year and when we get it, we win two games. I am really happy for them. The energy and vibes these past couple of games in the locker room has been great. I'm not sure where that has been all season but Lydia (Johnson, senior captain) has been energized these past few days and it has just been awesome. We have (assistant coach) Teddy Nixon back and he is the hype man."

Nantucket finished the season 2-16, but only had one senior in Johnson. With nearly the entire roster set to return, next season could have many more moments similar to Wednesday nights four goal comeback.