The Washtenaw United girls’ hockey team wrapped up the 2023 calendar year with a pair of wins against Division 2 opponents Walled Lake and Plymouth-Canton-Salem (PCS). The wins moved the United into third place with a 3-1 division record, 4-2 overall.
On Friday evening at Lakeland Arena, center Daphne Grant (Dexter, ’25) opened up the scoring with an unassisted breakaway goal with 3:58 remaining in the first period. Grant picked the loose puck up at center ice, split the defense, and slipped the puck past Walled Lake goaltender Skyler Mack on the stick side. That would prove to be all the United would need to get the win.
WashU would continue to test Mack throughout the 2nd period. She held the United off until the 1:57 mark when Veronica Holmstrom (Dexter, ’27) deflected a Walled Lake clearing attempt directly to Sydney Clark (Saline, ’25) who was camped out in front and buried the shot over Mack’s shoulder. Holmstrom was appearing in her first game with the United, joining the team earlier in the week.
Just 25 seconds later Cecilia Henriksen (Chelsea, ’24) put a backhand rebound past Mack to increase the lead to 3-0. Clark would be the loan goal scorer in the 3rd, picking up her 2nd of the game about halfway through the period. Clark picked up a loose puck behind the goal line, circled the net and shot, picked up her rebound, circled again, and slipped a backhander past Mack on the far side.
Washtenaw faced little pushback from the Wild, with just 6 shots on goal registered compared to WashU’s 37.
Saturday’s game against PCS would prove to be even more in the United’s favor.
Just 36 seconds into the game, sophomore Abby Schroeder (Saline, ’26) pounced on a loose rebound to open the scoring in what would be her first of two goals of the day. Henriksen would follow with a goal less than 4 minutes later during a delayed penalty call. Maddy Church (Dexter, ’27) and Clark would expand the lead to 4-0 at the end of the first.
Saline junior Julianna Marini opened the scoring in the second after a beautiful setup from Clark and Lilly Schlack (Saline, ’26). Schroeder tallied her 2nd of the game, followed by a last second goal by Kaysi Hohner (Saline, ’27) to finish off the 2nd period.
Holmstrom wristed a shot from the top of the left circle over the blocker of the PCS goalie for her first career goal for the United, ending the game with 8:22 to go in the 3rd period due to the mercy rule. Clark and Holmstrom led the team in points, each with a goal and 2 assists.
United goaltender Trista Tracy (Chelsea, ’25) earned her fourth shutout of the season, and third in a row. Tracy has gone over 128 minutes without letting in a goal.
WashU returns to the ice in the new year on Saturday, Jan. 6. against Sacred Heart on the road at 4 p.m. The team’s annual Alumni Game is Saturday, Dec. 23 at 2:30 at the Arctic Coliseum.
About Washtenaw United
Washtenaw United is a High School Girls’ Hockey Team skating out of the Arctic Coliseum of Chelsea. The team serves high schools within Washtenaw County that do not have a dedicated team to play for. Currently, Pioneer and the combined Skyline-Huron have dedicated teams. Washtenaw United is made up of players from Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, and Washtenaw International.
