Sooner or later, it will happen.

Friday, December 10, 1999

Sooner or later, it will happen. Coach Mike Miller is convinced of that.

It almost happened Thursday night.

And maybe it should have.

Miller’s Albert Lea High School girls’ hockey team, in its third year as an official program, outshot visiting Faribault 39-26 Thursday but came away with a 3-1 loss at the City Arena.

It left the Tigers 1-5 for the season and still looking for their first Big Nine Conference win in the history of the program.

&uot;It almost happened tonight,&uot; said Miller. &uot;It almost happened. So close.&uot;

Many times, the Tigers were so close to scoring it hurt. They outshot the Falcons in every period and dominated most of the third, giving up an open-net goal in the waning moments.

Especially impressive offensively were the four players Miller used on the Tigers’ No. 1 line – Brittany Arendt, Lindsey Sorenson, Christine Tubbs and Tessa Christensen.

&uot;That whole line, they just took it to Faribault the whole game,&uot; said Miller. &uot;Each period they had so many good chances, and they had some great opportunities in the third.&uot;

The problem, according to Miller, was a combination of two things: shot selection and a hot Faribault goaltender.

&uot;We weren’t taking the shots we needed to,&uot; said Miller. &uot;But the girls just keep improving every game. We’re starting to put it together. Our power play looked a lot better tonight, and we’re starting to control the puck much better both even strength and on the power play.&uot;

After a scoreless first period, Falcons sophomore Allie Anthony scored the first of her three goals at 3:22 of the second. She scored again unassisted at 4:59, adding the empty-netter in the final minute of regulation.

The Tigers’ goal came at 1:50 of the third, with Tubbs scoring on assists from Arendt and Melissa Roche.

Sara Schewe was the goalie for Albert Lea.

Albert Lea had three power-play opportunities, Faribault one.

It was the first Big Nine win of the season and the third win overall for Faribault.

The Tigers have a busy schedule next week at Owatonna Tuesday, at Waseca Thursday and at Mankato Friday.