HUTCHINSON -- Fallon Macemon, one of only two seniors on the Hutchinson girls hockey team, had a pair of goals and the Tigers sank Willmar 5-1 in the Section 2A championship on Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus College's Lund Arena.
Hutchinson (12-15), the No. 3 seed in 2A, will advance to the Class A state tournament next Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center. Pairings will be determined by seedings.
Willmar, seeded No. 1 in the section, finishes the season 12-12-2.
Macemon opened the scoring at 5:58 of the first period with a goal on assists from Alexis Dahle and Taylor Niece. Willmar knotted the game 1-1 when Samantha Thompson scored after a flurry in front of Hutchinson netminder Mary Cummins. KyLee Hulscher and Ali Sing were credited with assists.
But Hutchinson regained its lead just 24 seconds later when Macemon notched an unassisted marker.
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Niece notched the lone goal in the second period, scoring at 12:48 on an assist from Lauren Kirchoff for a 3-1 advantage. Hutchinson outshot Willmar 18-8 in the second period after being outshot 9-6 in the first period.
Allison Neubaerth and Claire Cripps scored for the Tigers in the third period.
Willmar defeated Hutchinson 5-4 in overtime on Dec. 10 in Hutchinson in a regular-season game.
This time, however, Hutchinson was the aggressor, outshooting Willmar 38-22 and crashing the nets for rebounds after nearly every shot.
Willmar's Erin Sheehan, one of the team's top players, missed the game with an undisclosed injured.
Hutchinson 5, Willmar 1
Willmar (12-12-2) 1 0 0 -- 1
Hutchinson (12-15) 2 1 2 -- 5
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FIRST PERIOD - Hut: Fallon Macemon (Alexis Dahle, Taylor Niece), 5:58 ...Wil: Samantha Thompson (KyLee Hulscher, Ali Sing), 9:58 ... Hut: Macemon (unassisted), 10:22
SECOND PERIOD - Hut: Niece (Lauren Kirchoff), 12:48
THIRD PERIOD - Hut: Allison Neubarth (Sara Carlson), pp, 10:56 ... Hut: Claire Cripps (Jordan Guggisberg, Neubarth), 15:46
GOALIE SAVES - Willmar: Baylie Young 33 ... Hutchinson: Mary Cummins 21
