For Wausau Pilot & Review
CEDARBURG – Sophomore Brooke Schaefer scored five goals for the Wausau Wolfpack high school girls lacrosse team in a 7-5 win over DeForest on Saturday at Cedarburg High School.
The Wolfpack split a pair of contests on the blustery afternoon, dropping their first contest of the day to the Cedarburg Bulldogs 9-4.
The Wolfpack led wire-to-wire in the win over DeForest, with Schaefer pouring in the first goal of the game 10 minutes into the first half. Just prior to the first score, junior goalie Amelia Speichinger denied a penalty shot by DeForest before the Wolfpack attack culminated in a jumping shot from the left side of the goal by Schaefer.
“We have a rebounder at my house and I’ve been working on that shot with my dad,” said Schaefer. “I feel like (that shot) gives me height over the goalie’s stick and I can just stick it in the corner.”
About two minutes later, a goal by junior Riah Weiland pushed the Wolfpack’s lead to 2-0. Later in the half, Schaefer added her second goal on a penalty shot, followed by another goal a minute later. Schaefer added her fourth goal of the half following DeForest’s first score, making it 5-1.
DeForest pulled to 5-3 on a pair of quick back-to-back goals late in the first half.
Schaefer batted in a goal on an assist by Lindman following a frenzied attack with several shots on goal, extending the lead to 6-3. DeForest countered with a goal before a penalty shot by Nora Imhoff capped the Wolfpack scoring, making the score 7-4. DeForest added a late goal, finishing the scoring at 7-5.
Schaefer’s goals and Speichinger’s saves on penalty shots were at the center of the win. The goalie allowed just one goal on penalty shots over the two games and posted a save rate of 76 percent against DeForest and 62 percent against Cedarburg.
Speichinger was assisted on defense by teammates who increased their intensity as the game wore on.
“These wins (against teams from the southern half of the state) make us feel more confident about ourselves,” said senior defender Kaia Abuzzahab. “It means a lot because we’ve come so far.”
In the first game, Cedarburg jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first half before a Wolfpack goal by freshman Teagan Lindman in the last two minutes of the half. The Bulldogs pushed their lead to 7-1 in the first eight minutes of the second half before goals by junior MIa Otten, senior Nora Imhoff and junior Lily Sann of the Wolfpack.
“The girls are showing real growth,” Wausau coach Tony Imhoff said. “We are starting to see the full potential of the team.”
The Wolfpack travels to Sun Prairie for a game on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
The team is supported at the Pack Leader level by Advantage Group, Ruppel Chiropractic, Surgical Associates, Turf MDs and WW Self Storage/STW Enterprises, at the Howler level by Kwik Trip and at the Lone Wolf level by Polito’s Pizza of Wausau. These sponsors help fund travel expenses, equipment, coaches salaries and facility time. For more information about this fundraising effort for the team, contact Alison Howrey at 715-218-2172 or aehowrey@gmail.com.
Story courtesy of Brian Otten/Wausau Wolfpack lacrosse.
