Passolt is one of the state's top juniors, having recently committed to play at Bemidji State. She also was a member of the Chanhassen girls' tennis team, which featured Class 2A singles champion Hayley Haakenstad.
Quick Q&A: Lydia Passolt, Chaska/Chanhassen hockey
Q: You have a locally well-known anchorman (Jeff Passolt) who is your uncle. Does he ever get recognized because of you?
A: Oh, of course [laughs]. But he doesn't brag about it. He was a hockey player and hockey runs in our family.
Q: Do you play hockey year-round?
A: Yes. In the offseason, I play for the Minnesota Ice Cats. It's cool that a lot the players on that team are going to Bemidji State, too, like Paige Beebe [Blaine] and Tina Kampa [Maple Grove] and Lindsey Featherstone [Hill-Murray] and Kiki Radke [Hastings].
Q: Why Bemidji State?
A: The coaches were great, the rink was amazing and I thought the campus was beautiful. And I liked their nursing program, which I'm thinking about going into in college.
Q: You had back-to-back four goal-games already this season. Have you ever done that before?
A: No. I couldn't have done it without my linemates, Sofia Poinar and Mollie Wise. We have great chemistry together. They set me up and I set them up.
Q: Have you looked back on it and thought, 'Wow, two four-goal games?' "
A: I don't like to brag about hockey, but it might be something I brag about when I get older.
JIM PAULSEN
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Minnesota shot nearly 60% during a 20-8 start to erase a fresh loss to Nebraska, but guard/forward Taylor Woodson suffered a knee injury early in the game.