The combined girls hockey team from Chugiak and Eagle River High Schools remained winless in Cook Inlet Conference play, losing to Service-East, 7-2, Friday at the McDonald Center.

Coach Jesse James said the team plays with a lot of heart, but not with many players, leading to losses over the course of the contest.

"We've struggled a little bit a team," said the coach referring to the squad's win-and-loss docket.

Service-East jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first two periods before Chugiak High's Kelsey Watson found the back of the visiting team's net, off the assist from Autumn Sperry, early in the third

Following two more goals from Service-East, Morgan Elledge scored an unassisted goal for the team's second marker of period and game.

James said he is pleased with the team's effort and attitude.

"This is a great group of girls - with a lot of heart. We just don't have the number of quality players that the other teams do," he said.

James gave commendation to Autumn Sperry , Michelle Wilson and Rachel Fore in recent games.

During a recent game with the Valley team, the coach said the team has won of their better games, outshooting the host team.

"We outshot them and outplayed them - yet we loss to them, 3-1," he said.

James said the team's first win is on the horizon, planning some dry-land training sessions for the start of 2010 and the remaining half of the season.

"We need to build our endurance up. There have been several times this year that we have outplayed teams in the first period only to run out of gas at the end," he added.

James said he is hoping for a couple more players following the distribution of first-semester grades.

Additional bodies would help, as will time, Jesse believes.

"It will be nice to have a break," he said Saturday.

Chugiak-Eagle River resumes action, playing South Anchorage-Bartlett Friday, Jan. 8.

You can reach the reporter at editor@alaskastar.com.

Girls Hockey

Friday, Dec. 18, McDonald Center

Service-East 7, Chugiak-ER 2

SE 4 1 2 - 7

CER 0 0 2 - 2

First period - 1) SE, Havrilla (Johnstone) 7:02; 2) SE, Hess 7:50; 3) SE, Hess (Russell, Merkouris) 8:02; 4) SE, Brassard 11:04. Penalties - SE 1 for 2 minutes, CER 3 for 6.

Second period - 5) SE, Russell (Baldaut, Hess) 8:18. Penalties - SE, 1 for 2. CER none.

Third period - 6) CER, Watson (Sperry) 1:14; 7) SE, Hansen (Russell, Hess) 2:38; 8) SE, Merkouris (Russell), no time reported; 9) CER, Elledge 11:24. Penalties - SE 2 for 4, ER none.

Goalies - ER, Morton 8-5-7 - 20; SE, Gerrety 0-4-2 - 6.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, December 24, 2009.