The Austin girls hockey team slammed the door shut early in a 9-2 win over Litchfield-Dassel-Cokato (1-3 overall) in the first round of the Willmar Invite Friday.

Austin, which will play Willmar for the title Saturday at 4 p.m., led 8-1 after two periods.

Kennedy Thompson scored three goals for the Packers (3-0 overall) and junior defenseman Camille Anderson scored her first career goal in the win.

Austin has now scored at least six goals in all three of its wins.

“Kennedy’s line with Carley Grunewald and Abby Gallaher is really clicking and our line with two eighth graders played well and they’re coming along,” Austin head coach Denny Bray said.

Austin eighth grader Mara Overby picked up a win in her first career start as goalie. She finished with 17 saves.

“Both of their goals were off of our sticks,” Bray said. “She should’ve had a shutout, but at least that means we were in defensive position.”

SCORING SUMMARY

Austin 3 5 1 — 9

LDC 0 1 1 — 2

First period

(A) Kennedy Thompson (Abby Gallaher) 16:28

(A) Madison Overby (Chloe Summerfield) 13:03

(A) Summerfield (Madison Overby) 9:27

Second period

(A) Carley Grunewald (powerplay) (Thompson, Summerfield) 13:33

(A) Thompson 10:08

(L) Emma Lemke 5:24

(A) Thompson (Gallaher, Grunewald) 2:23

(A) Camille Anderson :38

Third period

(A) Gallaher (shorthanded) (Grunewald) 9:51

(L) Kennedy Sommerfield 5:03

Powerplays: Austin — 1-for-3; LDC — 0-for-3

Shots: Austin — 39; LDC — 19