The Austin girls hockey team took home the title at the Cardinal Classic in Willmar when they pulled off a 6-4 win over Willmar Saturday.

Kirsten Stanek clinched a hat trick when she scored with just over seven minutes left in the game to put Austin (2-3 overall) up 5-3 and Abby Gallaher added another goal to put the the Packers up 6-3.

“Things are looking really good and our lines are skating really good together,” Austin head coach Denny Bray said. “Carley (Grunewald) and Abby are really clicking and Vanessa Talamantes has been outstanding on defense. We’re really playing like a team.”

Grunewald, a sophomore forward, had two goals and five points in the two-day tournament and she took home the tournament puck.

Willmar scored within the first minute of the first period and it scored again with one second left in the second period, but Austin had three first period goals and it never gave up its early lead.

Allison Hoban had 23 saves to pick up the win in the net for Austin.

SCORING SUMMARY

Austin 3 1 2 — 6

Willmar 2 1 1 — 4

First period

(W) Kayte Cole (Miranda Roelofs) 0:54

(A) Kirsten Stanek (Abby Gallaher, Carley Grunewald) 5:15

(A) Ashley Arhart (shorthanded) (Grunewald) 9:59

(A) Stanek (powerplay) (Grunewald, Arhart) 13:25

(W) Annie Johnston (Lauren Sing) 16:59

Second period

(A) Grunewald (powerplay) (Gallaher) 10:33

(W) Cole 13:15

Third period

(A) Stanek (Alex Larson, Arhart) 9:13

(A) Gallaher (Lea Semones) 12:40

(W) Johnston (Samantha Block) 12:56