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Girls Varsity Spotlight: Thunder vs. Chill

By Matthew Preston, 06/22/16, 3:00PM EDT

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Thunder deal Chill first loss in championship rematch.

MARLBORO –In a rematch of the inaugural Girls Varsity championship game last August, it was the Marlboro Thunder (5-0-1) once again edging out the Natick Chill (5-0-1) on Sunday at the Navin Arena in Marlboro. This time it was a 2-1, shootout decision.

While the Thunder ended up running away from the Chill in last year’s championship bout – a 5-0 final – Sunday’s rematch was a testament to the Girls Varsity once again emerging as the league’s division with the most parity. Through 15 minutes, neither side was able to gain a discernable edge, but as Chill forward Kathryn Elliott was sent off for a cross check with just three seconds left in the opening period, the Thunder were set to open the second with a chance to grab the lead.

They were not able to do much with the power play opportunity, however, but Marlboro still gained the game’s first advantage early in the second, a Morgan Perry goal at 4:53 making it 1-0.

It was a lead that lasted deep into the third period. With their first loss looming, the Chill stepped up through the final period of regulation, but the Thunder defense with them, shutting down a number of chances along the way until a great shorthanded bid at the 12:19 mark.

Off the rush, Emily Cataldo drew her defender in tight, leaving just enough room to get a pass through to Lucy Verdone, who put away the 1-1 equalizer.

With one goal aside through the first three rounds – Natick’s Meghan Ilhoff answering Marlboro’s Madison Manser in the second round – even overtime needed overtime to settle the tight battle. It was not until the sixth round the game could be decided, Julia Lane beating Caroline McDonough five hole to put the Thunder up and then Kirsten DiCicco being poised in net to keep Sarah Zeidan’s bid at bay, closing out the 2-1 win.