Oct. 21, 2007

Stats

Duluth, Minn. - #5 Minnesota Duluth scored once in each period and rode the hot goaltending of sophomore Kim Martin to defeat #2 Mercyhurst 3-1 Sunday afternoon at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. The Bulldogs improved to 5-0-1 overall while the Lakers dropped to 5-1-1. The two teams played to a 1-1 overtime tie Saturday.

Martin (4-0-1), awarded the game's first star, stopped 27 of 28 shots and, coupled with 34 saves Saturday, turned aside 61 of 63 in the weekend pair.

Mercyhurst sophomore forward Meghan Agosta put the Lakers ahead midway in the first period when she beat Martin for her fifth goal of the season. She had help from freshman forward Vicki Bendus and freshman defender Ashley Cockell. UMD tied the game with just six seconds left in the first when sophomore forward Elin Holmlov scored her second goal of the series and third of the season. Mercyhurst outshot the Bulldogs 12-11 in an evenly played first period.

With momentum clearly on its side, UMD took the lead early in the second frame when sophomore winger Emmanuelle Blais notched her first goal of the season on a power play. The Bulldogs outshot Mercyhurst 10-6 in the second twenty minutes.

Minnesota Duluth finished the scoring four minutes into the third when freshman forward Haley Irwin scored her second goal of the season while the Bulldogs were on their fifth power play of the game. The Lakers pulled senior goaltender Laura Hosier (3-1-1) late in the game, but couldn't solve Martin again.

Minnesota Duluth outshot Mercyhurst 33-28 and converted 2 of 7 power play chances. The Lakers finished 0 for 5.

Two referees and two linesmen worked the series as the WCHA experiments with a 2-and-2 system in a select number of women's and men's games this season.

Mercyhurst is now 27-2-3 in its last 32 games and both losses and one of the ties have come against Minnesota Duluth. Against teams from the WCHA, the Lakers are 22-16-3 lifetime.

Mercyhurst will attempt to start another winning streak next Friday and Saturday when Colgate visits the Ice Center for 4:30pm and 3:00pm games. The Lakers are 9-1-2 lifetime against the Raiders and won both meetings last year in Hamilton, NY by scores of 4-2 and 3-1. Following Colgate, the Lakers visit Clarkson, Princeton, and Niagara before returning to the Ice Center December 7 and 8 to play powerful New Hampshire.