On Sunday June 14 at TABC, the Frisch Cougars took on the Ma’ayanot Rapids in the championship game for the third straight year. Frisch won the title in 2013 while Ma’ayanot bested Frisch in 2014. Just like the last two years, this game featured four of the most talented players the league has ever seen: for Ma’ayanot defenseman and co-captain Alex Fuchs, and the league’s most elite goaltender, co-captain Sara Hiller, versus the most dynamic offensive duo this league has seen in Frisch’s co-captains Michal Michael and Kayla Blumenfeld. Frisch received an unexpected boost to their defense when assistant captain Leora Jarashow was medically cleared to play the day before the game, after missing the entire season with a broken foot. Along with starters assistant captain Ariela Katz and senior Rachel Markowitz, and a second line of Aliza Pavel and Talia Levie, this backline would be hard to beat.
When the ball dropped it was clear that there would need to be a team effort in to win it all. Ma’ayanot got the jump in the first two minutes, but, for all their efforts, could not get a shot on net. It was Frisch who then turned on the afterburners. Frisch began to control the game by winning virtually every faceoff and hustling to every loose ball, while forechecking and backchecking. Midway through the first period, in the midst of a line change, Pavel hustled to a loose ball from the point and fired a hard low shot from the left slot. Hiller made the save with her left pad but gave up a rebound to her left. Sophomore Abigail Rochlin wasted no time and buried the ball in the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. This goal marked the first goal Frisch scored on Hiller this year. In their previous two meetings, Hiller had stood on her head shutting out Frisch 1-0 and tying Frisch 0-0.
As the period wore on, Frisch continued to swarm and Ma’ayanot could not muster up much offense. The Frisch defense did an outstanding job of keeping the ball in the offensive zone allowing the offense to work and create opportunities. With less than three minutes remaining in the period, Katz got called for interference, putting Ma’ayanot on the power play. The Rapids knew this was their opportunity to get things going, but senior goalie Jessica Adler had other plans. On what may have been Ma’ayanot’s best scoring opportunity of the game, the Rapids passed the ball across the middle for a one-timer on the far open side of the net. Sliding to her left, Adler made an incredible glove save to preserve the lead; the team held on to take their 1-0 goal advantage into the first intermission.
With a packed room and a broken thermostat, the gym was approaching a stifling eighty degrees. The players had to battle the heat and dehydration as well as their opponents. The depth of Frisch offense served them well. Michael and Blumenfeld battled Ma’ayanot’s top line for much of the afternoon, keeping them busy defending their own end, leaving Rochlin and linemate sophomore Hannah Weisbrot to battle Ma’ayanot’s secondary defense. About four minutes into the second period Frisch’s second line struck again. Rochlin hustling into the offensive zone put the ball on net from the left side while Weisbrot got to the loose ball in front, putting it under the sliding goalie and into the net for a 2-0 Frisch lead. Offensemen Sigal Levine (junior), Talya Gellis (sophomore), Miriam Reichman (junior) and Tara Davidoff (sophomore) helped energize the team with their incredible hustle and determination. Battling the heat, Frisch protected their lead with timely saves by Adler in net and took the 2-0 lead into the second break.
Taking a play out of the New York Rangers playbook, the Frisch Cougars were determined to “change the ending” and win the championship this year. With the entirety of last year’s team returning, plus some new additions, this team was unwavering in the pursuit of their ultimate goal. One of those new additions was junior transfer Hannah Rosen, who called Ma’ayanot her home for the last two years. Determined not to let her former teammates ruin her current teammates’ bid for the championship, Rosen played flawless defense along with her defensive counterparts whenever called upon.
Off the opening faceoff of the third period, Blumenfeld was tripped on the way to the Ma’ayanot net. Frisch was unable to capitalize on the power play but kept the momentum going their way. As time ticked away, Adler continued to be a wall in net and just would not give Ma’ayanot any second chance opportunities—including another shorthanded stint when Blumenfeld was called for crosschecking. Michael and then Reichman killed off the penalty flawlessly. With around two minutes remaining, Ma’ayanot pulled their goalie to gain an extra attacker. Frisch defended beautifully, keeping the ball to the outside. Ma’ayanot made one last attempt and Adler covered as the final seconds ticked away. The buzzer sounded and Frisch celebrated as the yeshiva girls hockey champions for the second time in three years.
Although it was a complete team effort, Jessica Adler was deservedly named the championship game MVP for posting the shutout.
By Yaakov Lisker
