Last Wednesday night the Frisch Girls Varsity Hockey Team overcame the Ma’ayanot Rapids in the battle for first place in the Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Hockey League (MYHSHL). The game was played at Ma’ayanot and the score was 1-0, the only goal of the game scored by Kayla Blumenfeld early in the first period.

This game is historic because it had been almost a decade since the Rapids had lost a single game. When the final buzzer sounded, the score board showed that the streak was broken. Frisch mobbed the court, and couldn’t believe that they had actually come out victorious against the undefeated team. Soon after the game, many past Frisch players contacted the team, to wish long-awaited congratulations.

Playing goalie for Frisch, I had no idea what to expect. Going into the game I had my doubts, but a strong defensive line soon washed those doubts away as our team fought to victory. As the minutes slowly wound down, I couldn’t help but think of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” when the Men’s U.S. Olympic Hockey Team beat the heavily-favored Soviets in a medal-round match. Much like the US in that famous game, no one expected the Cougars to be victorious.  Herb Brooks, coach of the “Miracle” team, once said, “Great moments are born from great opportunities.” That night, I was convinced that this statement held true as our team finally got a heavily anticipated taste of victory.  With the playoffs in sight, my hope for the team is that we take advantage of those opportunities and keep fighting, no matter where the odds are placed.

By Jenna Kershenbaum