Yellowjackets 8, North Central 1

On the heels of a physically and emotionally grueling match against St. Scholastica Saturday, few would blame the Yellowjackets if they didn't bring the same intensity to the pitch in their next match. Few could blame Yellowjacket Head Coach Joe Mooney if he felt a tad nervous about the possibility.

Rest easy, Coach Mooney and Yellowjacket faithful.

The Yellowjackets did anything but take it easy Tuesday at North Central, exploding for a season-high eight goals to rout North Central 8-1.

It took a while, but the Yellowjackets eventually got the offense going, converting the scoreless match into a blowout in short order. Blake Perry (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) opened the scoring in the 26th minute on an assist from Elliot Chapman (Lancaster, England/Ripley St. Thomas) to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead. Team scoring leader James Bruce (Gladstone, Mich./Gladstone) stretched the lead to two with his team-leading fourth tally of the year in the 33rd minute.

Then things went a little crazy.

Superior native Blake Hanson (Superior, Wis./Superior) added to the Yellowjacket lead, scoring his third goal of the season on an assist from Perry at 40:26. Less than a minute later Torsten Winnerblad (Stockholm, Sweden/Marina Laeroverket) made it a 4-0 match with his first goal of the year. North Central answered at 43:46, but the Yellowjackets answered 38 seconds later with Perry's second goal of the match, finishing off a stretch where the teams combined for in a span of 3:48, sending the Yellowjackets to the break with a 5-1 lead.

As the second half unfolded the Yellowjacket offense continued its relentless ways. In the 59th minute Gustavo Barbieri (Florianópolis, Brazil/Colégio Tendência) scored second goal of the year on an assist from Bruce to make it a 6-1 match. Then, with time winding down Archie Gjerdrum (St. Paul, Minn./Como Park) scored his first of the year and the lead bulged to 7-1. The Yellowjackets closed out the scoring with 30 seconds to play when Blake Doyea (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) notched his first of the year, making the final score 8-1.

Perry had a big day, scoring twice and adding two assists, while Bruce contributed a goal and an assist. Gjerdrum and Winnerblad also had a goal and an assist for a Yellowjacket attack that outshot North Central 28-8. Shots on goal favored the Yellowjackets 16-3.

Ulrik Lager (Vollen, Norway/Asker VGS) got the start and earned the win for the Yellowjackets, making two saves in 70:10 of action. Payton Anderson (Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing) came in and played the final 19:50. He didn't see any shots come his way in the match.

Up Next: The Yellowjackets (5-2-1, 1-0-1 U.M.A.C.) return home to host Northwestern at the N.B.C. Spartan Sports Complex. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, September 22. The game will be broadcast live on 91.3 KUWS with Matt Johnson on the call.