Paterson, Shuttleworth Score In Girls Hockey Program's Return To MIAA Play

For the first time in nearly two years, the Whaler girls hockey team played an official MIAA hockey game - traveling to Hyannis to play the Barnstable Red Hawks Wednesday afternoon. Nantucket lost the game 10-2, but the final score was not indicative of the Whaler’s effort and performance. It was a major step in the program’s revival, a credit to the players and coaches who made a return to varsity play possible.

“It’s awesome,” head coach Andrew McNeilly said. “Coming over I was like alright it’s just a game but getting behind the bench and looking at Max (Perkins, assistant coach) I was just like we’re back. This is so good for this team and this program to be back. The game was great. No one played bad. Sure it was 10-2, whatever. It was not a bad game and does not show how we played.”

The game was 0-0 through most of the first period, with goalie Ruby Muise making several key stops. Barnstable eventually broke through to make it 1-0 with 3:21 remaining in the first and scored again with 53 seconds remaining to take a 2-0 lead into the second period.

Nantucket got on the scoreboard less than one minute into the second. Eighth grade forward Olivia Shuttleworth retrieved the puck in the Whaler’s end of the ice and went coast to coast – finishing the individual effort with a snipe top shelf to make it 2-1 Barnstable with 14:06 left in the second. It was her first career varsity goal.

Barnstable made it 3-1 with 13:11 to go, and Shuttleworth nearly answered the Red Hawk tally by setting up Lorelei Fox in front of the net to make it 3-2, however the shot just missed the target. The Red Hawks proceeded to score three goals in less than three minutes to make it 6-1 with 6:59 to go in the second and took that lead into the final period.

After two quick goals by Barnstable in the final period’s first two minutes, Nantucket senior captain Sadie Paterson - a defenseman - jumped into the play and was able to score to make it 8-2 with 9:16 left in the game.

McNeilly praised Muise for her effort in net, saying that had she not made several key stops that Barnstable could have had more goals.

“The best part about this game is these girls didn’t stop trying. They kept playing until the end,” McNeilly said.

You can view more photos from this game here.