NEPSAC players lead U.S. to win in Women's U18 World Hockey Championship

By Staff Report Jan 7, 2015, 12:00am

Players from Loomis-Chaffee, Tabor and Noble & Greenough all played a role in helping the United States women improve to 2-0 in group play in the Under-18 World Championship Tournament.

Samantha Davis of Tabor scored for the U.S. earlier this week against the Czech Republic.
Samantha Davis of Tabor scored for the U.S. earlier this week against the Czech Republic.
Photo by Jim Stout
It was a big night for the United States Under-18 women's national hockey team on Tuesday, and it was a big night for the New England Prep School School Athletic Council.

Goalie Brittany Bugalski of Loomis-Chaffee (Windsor, Conn.) recorded the shutout and Samanatha Davis of Tabor Academy (Marion, Mass.) scored a key goal as the U.S beat the Czech Republic, 3-0, in a preliminary round game at the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation Under-18 Women's World Championship in Buffalo.

Bugalski, who grew up in the shadows of the Florida Panthers franchise in Lake Worth, Fla., made eight saves as the United States improved to 2-0 in tournament play. Boston College goalie Kaitlin Burt had starred in the tourney opener for the U.S. during a 2-1 shootout victory against Canada Jan. 5.

Davis, from Pembroke, Mass, scored her first goal of the tournament at 8:01 of the third period to give the U.S. a 2-0 lead, taking a pass from Caitrin Lonergan of Noble & Greenough (Dedham, Mass.). Melissa Samoskevich of Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota scored the final U.S. goal.

Gunnery (Washington, Conn.) freshman Noemi Neubauerova is a member of the Czech Republic Under-18 team.



Team USA completes preliminary-round play on Thursday night, Jan. 8, at 7 p.m. against Russia. The game can be seen live on FASTHockey.com.