South started the game off slow, losing by as much as four goals midway through the second period. Goalkeeper Lucas Valice ’25 says the whole team is to blame for this subpar first period.
“We weren’t able to get solid possession of the ball,” Valice said. “They ended up getting a lot of shots off, and our defense was overwhelmed.”
However, as the game progressed, South slowly crawled back. By halftime, it was 5-7, and in the third period, South took their first lead, making it 8-7 after three consecutive, unanswered goals. Valice commends his team’s determination.
“Sometimes when you get behind in the score, you start to lose hope,” Valice said. “But all of us knew we were the better team—the better players—and we never let the scoreline deter us. That’s how we got back into [the game].”
Despite their 9-8 lead going into the fourth quarter, a chaotic final minutes helped Dakota get the edge and barely take the win. Spectator Conrad Squiteri ’25 was on the edge of his seat the entire game.
“After South came back, it felt like both teams were neck and neck the entire time,” Squiteri said. “Every time South would score, Dakota would score minutes later to match them.”
Even with the loss, Squiteri feels confident in the Blue Devils’ chances in the playoffs and believes they were the better team in this matchup.
“If they didn’t go down early, I think they would have won the game,” Squiteri said. “They were the best team through three periods, they were just unlucky in the end.”
