|
Pointers Beat
UW-Superior to Reach Frozen Four
Box Score
UW-Stevens Point scored two early goals and then
let its national-leading defense take over as the Pointers clinched their
second NCAA Division III women�s hockey frozen four berth in three seasons
with a 2-0 win over UW-Superior on Saturday at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens
Point.
The Pointers, who extended their national-best
unbeaten streak to 15 straight games, will have a chance to avenge its most
recent defeat when they play at Plattsburgh State (N.Y.) in the national
semifinals on Friday. The Cardinals are the
nation�s top-ranked team and beat the Pointers 3-1 on Jan. 6 in Henniker, N.H.
UW-Stevens Point clinched its fourth 20-win season
in the last five years and continued its dominance this season over its
Northern Collegiate Hockey Association rival. UW-Superior finished the year
22-4-2 with all four losses and a tie coming in five meetings with the
Pointers. UW-Stevens Point is now 7-0-1 in its last eight matchups with the
Yellowjackets.
The Pointers controlled the first period,
outshooting the Yellowjackets 15-3 in the frame. Junior defender Chris
Hanson, who scored her first goal of the season for the game-winner in last
week�s 4-2 win over UW-Superior in the NCHA playoff finals, had the
game-winner for the second straight game after launching a power play goal
from the blueline that was assisted by Nicole Grossmann and Jamie
Lewandowski at the 7:18 mark of the first period. UW-Stevens Point scored
again at the 18:07 mark when Kim Lunneborg converted a rebound goal with
assists from Michelle Sosnowski and Grossmann.
The goals turned out to be all the offense needed
for the Pointers, who have allowed just 31 goals in their 28 games this
year, including only nine during the current 15-game streak. UW-Stevens
Point allowed the Yellowjackets few quality offensive chances and those
UW-Superior did have were turned away by junior goaltender Amy Statz, who
stopped seven shots in the third period and nine in the third for her ninth
shutout of the season. UW-Superior was shutout for just the second time this
year with the other coming in a 1-0 setback to the Pointers in January.
In fact, UW-Stevens Point was so defensive-minded
in the third period that the Pointers set a tournament record for fewest
shots in a period with zero. The Pointers held the previous record with one
in the first period of last year�s quarterfinal loss to Gustavus Adolphus.
UW-Stevens Point also advanced to the finals in
2004 and lost to Middlebury in the title game. |
