The effort was much better, but the final result ended up the same for the Aberdeen Cougars girls’ hockey team Sunday afternoon.

After losing by four goals on Saturday, the Cougars battled the Sioux Center Storm to even terms on the scoreboard until the visitors found the back of the net in the closing minutes to grab a 2-1 victory at the Odde Ice Center.

“Overall, I think all the girls were ready today and showed up. They started out the game with good hustle and good effort,” said Cougars coach Amy Munsterman-Wills. “It wasn’t they started out slow and then now we picked it up. They actually all came ready and showed up and had good effort from the beginning.”

Unlike Saturday when the Storm scored the first five goals, the Cougars were in the contest the entire way. While Sioux Center still scored first, Aberdeen prevented an early onslaught of goals.

“I think today as a whole for our team we put in a lot better effort,” said Aberdeen’s Riley Keller. “It was a better game for us.”

The Cougars felt like they had something to prove after the first of the two games against Sioux Center.

“(Saturday’s) game was so bad effort wise,” said Cougars player Leah Kranzler. “We came in today knowing we had to do a lot better, and we knew this was a team we could beat, so we had to give the effort.”

The Cougars tied the game late in the second period when Keller took a feed from Rachel Siefken and buried the puck.

“It was off the faceoff and Rachel just passed it back to me,” Keller said, “and I just shot it hoping that it would maybe get out for a rebound, and I guess it went in.”

However, that was the only goal the Cougars could muster, despite outshooting the Storm 35-19.

Aberdeen had numerous chances, including multiple shots that hit the post, including one from Kranzler early in the third period.

“I think I took a little too much time thinking about where I’m going to shoot and then I missed anyways,” Kranzler said. “I have to be quicker on the shot.”

Munsterman-Wills is hoping that at some point things will break in her team’s favor.

“When they’re moving like that, and they’re moving the puck around, and they’re trying to make plays work, at some point it’s going to work,” Munsterman-Wills said. “It’s going to happen. … We had a lot of good opportunities.”

Keller talked about the frustration of not being able to take advantage of those opportunities.

“It’s a little tough. We just gotta get our hands on the puck,” Keller said. “It is what it is at the end of the day. We just try our best and that’s the best we can do.”

In the end, the Storm took advantage of a breakaway chance and scored the game-winning goal with 2:12 remaining.

Munsterman-Wills said there’s not much you can do when an attacker is closing in for a point-blank shot.

“It’s probably more defense hopefully trying to get on them before they have the chance to come and do that,” she said, “but when they get around the defense like that it’s a tough situation.”

The Cougars have a busy weekend ahead, hosting Brookings at 8 p.m. Friday, Sioux Falls at noon on Saturday, and Watertown at 3 p.m. Sunday.

“They’re tough games,” Munsterman-Wills said. “It’s going to be a grind.”

Keller said the demanding schedule will not impact the way the Cougars will play when they hit the ice.

“I don’t feel like it really changes the way that we play, because we always try to put out all of our best effort. … I feel like its definitely tiring having three games in three days, but it’s not something we’re unused to,” Keller said. “We play lots of tournaments during the year, so it’s something we’re prepared for I think, and as long as we can put our best effort … I think it will be a good time.”

Sioux Center Storm 1 0 1 – 2

Aberdeen Cougars 0 1 0 – 1

First Period: 1, SC, Maelyn Groenewg (Addison Svoboda, Amanda King), 2:28.

Second Period: 2, AC, Riley Keller (Rachel Siefken), 2:11.

Third Period: 3, SC, Riya Brenner (Jordyn Wasmund), 2:12.

Shots on Goal: Sioux Center Storm 19; Aberdeen Cougars 35.

Goalies: Sioux City Storm, Victoria Pendergrass (34 saves); Aberdeen Cougars, Chloe Vikander (17 saves).