At the start of warm-ups, Josiah Ditch (11), a transfer from St. Dominic, got a “rookie lap” for his first game with the team. And as a perfect way to start his career with the Eagles, Ditch got the first goal of the game and his first as an Eagle at 9:28. This goal was assisted by Nicholas Kuhn (11) and Reid Wells (10) and it set the pace for the game.

The Eagles would go on to score seven more times unanswered in a late night game at St. Peters Rec Plex, starting at 9:45 p.m. and beat Westminster 8-0 for their sixth win of the season.

“I think that individually and as a team it was good despite everyone being tired because it’s a later game,” Diana Kemp (12) said.

Just 1:16 seconds after Ditch’s goal, the Eagles would strike again at 8:12. Zach Pruss (12) scored with the assists going to Garrett Katz (11) and Mason Nickler (10). At 3:38, Kuhn got a 2-minute minor penalty for hooking that the Eagles were able to kill off. To end the period, Greyson Howarth (12) got a goal, assisted by Lucas Kempf (12) and Leo Miller (9), and the Eagles would take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

To start the second period, Westminster got a 2-minute minor penalty for slashing at 14:16, which they were able to kill. At 11:04, Ditch got a 2-minute minor penalty for hooking. On the penalty kill, Kempf got an unassisted short-handed goal at 10:38. At 9:34, Kempf got his second goal of the night, assisted by Howarth, still short-handed. Westminster went on to get back-to-back 2-minute minor penalties. The first on at 8:26 for slashing, and the second at 6:05 for tripping. They were able to kill off both of these penalties. To end the period, Ditch got his second goal of the night at 0:18, assisted by Howarth.

At the beginning of the third period, Liberty and Westminster got matching 2-minute minor penalties for cross-checking at 12:20. Kyle Fister (9) got his first goal of the season at 4:10 in the third assisted by Pruss. With the last goal of the game, Nickler scored, with the assists going to Pruss and Katz. At 1:15, Westminster got a 2-minute minor for tripping. To end the game, Westminster got one final 2-minute minor for slashing at 0:05.

“I think I played pretty good. I got pucks in deep and had a good goal at the end,” Fister said.

In goal for Liberty was Cooper Phillips (9), who got his first shut-out on varsity, stopping all 12 shots from Westminster. 

“I think I played good, less shots than I like to take,” Phillips said. “I think the team played good, they were a little slow in the first period,  but they got their game right.”

Three stars of the game:

1st – Lucas Kempf; 2 goals, 1 assist

2nd – Josiah Ditch; 2 goals

3rd – Cooper Phillips; 12 saves