Empowers Performance Hands Hepp’s Salt First Loss to End Dangle League Regular Season

Braemar Arena – Edina, MN – August 7, 2025

The Dangle League regular season wrapped up with a statement victory from the league’s hottest team. Empowers Performance, winners of three straight coming in, capped their late-season surge by knocking off previously unbeaten Hepp’s Salt 3-2 in Thursday night’s finale at Braemar Arena.

After starting the year 1-3, Empowers has flipped the script, closing the regular season with four consecutive wins and outscoring opponents 14-7 during that stretch. Against Hepp’s Salt—a team that had steamrolled the league to a 7-0 record—Empowers struck early and often, building a 3-1 lead in the opening half.

Alli Ryan (Minnetonka) opened the scoring at 19:18 of the first, burying a setup from Angie Cody (Holy Family) and Kylie Meyer (Dodge County). Less than a minute later, Chloe King (Holy Family) doubled the advantage, finishing a feed from Ella Sharkey (Holy Family). Riley Iverson (AHA) then added the eventual game-winner with 1:20 left in the half, assisted by Ryan, giving Empowers a 3-1 cushion at the break.

Hepp’s Salt, playing their second game of the night, found their legs late. Taryn Richter’s (Holy Family) goal midway through the second pulled them within one at 3-2, setting the stage for a frantic final nine minutes. Brooklyn Mauch (Marshal) nearly tied it, first denied on a point-blank one-timer by Empowers goaltender Claire Hills (Andover)—who was outstanding all night with 30 saves—and later ringing the post from the left circle with just 36 seconds left.

Hills’ composure under pressure and Empowers’ commitment to blocking lanes preserved the win, handing Hepp’s Salt their first loss of the season. The result locks in Hepp’s Salt as the regular-season champions at 7-1, while Empowers rides major momentum into the playoffs as the clear No. 2 seed.

3 Stars of the Game

1. Claire Hills – Empowers Performance (30 saves, clutch stops in final minutes)

2. Alli Ryan – Empowers Performance (1G, 1A, sparked first-period surge)

3. Riley Iverson – Empowers Peformance GWG