Waupaca Area will hit the road for the first round of the state girls’ hockey tournament.
The team received a No. 7 seed in its sectional bracket and will open tournament play at 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, against No. 2 University School of Milwaukee at the Uihlein Ice Arena in Milwaukee.
The winner of that game will take on No. 3 Appleton West or No. 6 Brookfield Central Tuesday, Feb. 25, in a sectional semifinal.
Waupaca Area split a pair of recent Great Northern Conference home games with Lakeland and Tomahawk. The team defeated Lakeland 9-4 Feb. 8, but fell to Tomahawk 4-1 Feb. 7.
Waupaca Area 9, Lakeland 4
Mandy Tomlinson and Brianne Huettner had four goals each in a win over the Thunderbirds. Katarina Otter also scored, while Huettner had three assists, Tomlinson had two and Tina Rasmussen one.
Goalie Cassie Rasmussen stopped 23 of Lakeland’s 27 shots, while Lakeland goalies Annika Nimsgern and Megan Hudy stopped 36 of Waupaca Area’s shots on goal.
Tomahawk 4, Waupaca Area 1
Tomlinson scored Waupaca Area’s goal and the team outshot the Hatchets 51-26.
Waupaca Area hosted Medford Feb. 11 and will close out the regular season at 7 tonight (Thursday, Feb. 13) by hosting Appleton United at the Waupaca Expo Center.