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Defense Turns
Offensive as Pointers Top Gusties
Box
Score
The best defensive team in NCAA Division III
women�s hockey during 2005-06 turned offensive on Saturday as UW-Stevens
Point�s defense played a key part in all five goals and the sixth-ranked
Pointers pulled out a 5-4 win over third-ranked Gustavus Adolphus at Ice
Hawks Arena.
The Pointers improved to 3-0 with the victory in a
rematch of last year�s national third place game in which they also won 2-0.
UW-Stevens Point, which led the country with a
1.17 goals against average last season, surrendered its most goals in a
victory in its seven-year varsity history. However, the Pointers� defenders
more than made up for it, combining for two goals and four assists on the
offensive end.
The Pointers jumped on the Gusties early with
three goals in a span of less than two minutes, building a 3-0 advantage
just 6:25 into the game. All three goals came following long shots from the
point. Freshman defender Sarah Phillips had two long shots just 32 seconds
apart that were both tipped in by forwards with Jessie Suter and Nicole
Grossmann each collecting goals. Jamie Lewandowski then took a pass from
defensive teammate Chris Hanson and launched a long shot past Gusties�
goaltender Amanda Rosequist for the 3-0 lead.
Gustavus Adolphus bounced back quickly by
converting two first period power plays. Kelly Crandall scored the first
Gusties� goal at the 14:04 mark and Andrea Peterson followed at the 17:42
mark with a long blast from the point.
UW-Stevens Point extended its lead in the second
period with a sharp goal at the 8:43 mark. Katy Lankey passed from the point
to the corner where Phillips snapped a quick pass to Michelle Sosnowski on
the opposite side of the net for a goal and a 4-2 lead. Defender Nicole
Greeneway busted out on a break less than three minutes later and fired a
shot that made it through the pads of goaltender Kitty Hurley, who had just
entered the game 56 seconds earlier, regaining the three-goal lead.
Margaret Dorer added two goals to bring Gustauvs
Adolphus within 5-4, getting a power play goal with 52 seconds left in the
second period and a four-on-four tally just 1:36 into the third period.
UW-Stevens Point then turned up its defense and relied on senior goaltender
Amy Statz, who stopped 15 shots in the third period and 35 shots for the
game, marking her third-highest total in 79 career games.
Both teams had numerous scoring chances throughout
the game in a wide-open, fast-skating affair. Gustavus Adolphus held a
slight 39-38 advantage in shots and Crandall nearly tied the game with an
extra attacker in the final second with a shot that sailed just inches
outside the post. |
