SNC Women’s Hockey advances to Slaats Cup Finals

DE PERE – Behind the scoring of the Hogan sisters and the goaltending of Keira Markell, the St. Norbert College (SNC) Women’s Hockey team is one step closer to qualifying for the NCAA Division III National Tournament. 

Courtnie Hogan had a pair of goals, while Natalie Hogan scored the other in the Green Knights’ 3-1 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Slaats Cup Semifinal victory over Lake Forest College on March 1 at the Resch Olympic Pavillion. 

The freshman, Markell, made 22 saves in net for SNC (23-4-1). 

It was the third time this season the Green Knights defeated the Foresters. 

With the win, SNC will go for the automatic national tournament bid when it hosts Adrian College on Saturday, March 8, at 2 p.m. 

Adrian has knocked out SNC each of the last two seasons in the Slaats Cup Finals, with both of those games taking place in Michigan. 

Earlier this season, the Green Knights and Adrian split their games in De Pere on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. 

“That was a gutsy win,” SNC Coach A.J. Aitken said of the semifinal victory. “It was 1-1 heading into the third – give credit to Lake Forest. I told the ladies after the game that the hockey Gods put a little stress into our game, and I think that was needed.”

The Green Knights went ahead 1-0 at the 12:35 mark of the first period when C. Hogan scored on the power play off assists from Tristan Wicklund and Ava Anick. 

Lake Forest tied the game 1-1 late in the second period. 

1. Hogan again found the back of the net for a 2-1 lead, this time early in the third period on assists from N. Hogan and Wicklund. 
2. Hogan ended the scoring with about three minutes remaining in the game. 

Wicklund recorded her third assist of the night on the goal. 

“It was a hard-fought game and neck-and-neck the whole time,” C. Hogan said. “It was a well-rounded team effort, but I think our power play stepped up.”

Despite SNC handling the Foresters earlier this season in a pair of games, N. Hogan said the playoffs are different.

“Anything can happen, and when seasons are on the line, teams lay it all out there,” she said. “Our season was on the line, too, so we laid it out there as well.”

With Adrian coming to De Pere for the Slaats Cup Finals, N. Hogan said she’s hoping SNC fans come out in support. 

“Coming off our overtime shootout victory against Adrian (on Feb. 1), I think we have a lot of momentum over them,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”