Leominster
“It was crazy,” Hemlin said. “I was all by myself back there, and it felt really good to put the game-winner in. That’s one of the plays that we do, and we have somebody sitting back there, and I’m really glad that it worked the way it did.”
“I got the puck, and I picked my head up, and I came around the dot, and I just sent it,” Simkewicz said of her pass to Hemlin. “It worked.”
LeBlanc said the play developed fast. “I was watching the defensive zone, I have no idea how Maddie slipped behind every one of them, and that pass from Rachel was tape to tape, a two-zone pass,” LeBlanc said.
Leominster (2-1, 1-0 Central/West) struck early in the final period when Simkewicz broke in alone, finishing with a bar-down snipe to cut the Auburn lead to 2-1.
Simkewicz tied the game shortly after, breaking in again and ripping another shot home to pull the Blue Devils even.
LeBlanc was proud of Simkewicz, saying points each to boost the visiting Cougars (2-3). Tommy Bergin netted 23 points for the Panthers (4-2), and Zach Iannacone added 18. the forward stepped up when her team needed her most.
“She’s been trying to keep the team up, and she did tonight,” LeBlanc said.
Best put up 13 points each, Rileigh Leary collected 10 points and 5 assists, and Jaelynn Scott grabbed 14 rebounds.
“She had both goals, plays physical, is smart, but she just stepped up tonight, and she made the most of her opportunities.”
Auburn (1-2, 0-2) broke the ice four minutes into the second period when Camy Conor broke in alone and finished on her backhand to put the Rockets ahead, 1-0.
Auburn upped that lead to 2-0 a little more than two minutes later when Lana Ermilio chipped a pass in the neutral zone to Izzy Spencer, who converted on her breakaway.
Leominster held a 33-21 advantage in shots. Carina Eshbaugh made 19 saves for the Blue Devils (2-1). Tori Horne stopped 30 shots for the Rockets (1-2).
“That was amazing,” LeBlanc said of the comeback win. “It’s always a big one when we beat Auburn. That’s our rival, and I am just so proud of our team. It was just a great, great win.”
Contact Chris Kyne at sports@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @tgsports. in the first quarter. Tessa Gilligan had 14 points, 14 rebounds and 5 steals for the Tigers (2-1).