University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHERS EARN THIRD CONSECUTIVE BID TO AWCHA CHAMPIONSHIP
3/19/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The bid is the third in a row for the Gophers (30-6-1), one of just two teams to participate in all three tournaments. Their semifinal opponent will be second- seeded Minnesota-Duluth (25-3-3), with the opening faceoff scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. The Bulldogs defeated the Gophers 2-0 in the title game of Western Collegiate Hockey Association-Women's League Championship, March 4.
The other semifinal, scheduled for 4 p.m. CST, will pit top-seeded Brown (24-3-3) against fourth-seeded Dartmouth (20-11-0). The Bears won both the regular- season and playoff titles in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, defeating the Big Green 6-3 for the playoff title on Sunday.
"It'll be great to participate in this event for the third year in a row," said Gopher head coach Laura Halldorson, "especially because it's harder every year to get selected.
"It's exciting that our sport has reached a level of parity that two teams, Duluth and Dartmouth, are making their first appearance and that there are two teams from the Midwest in the tournament for the first time."
Minnesota took third place at last year's AWCHA championship, defeating Brown 3-2 in the third-place game. The Gophers also defeated the Bears this season, 4-0 on Nov. 5.
In five meetings with Minnesota-Duluth this season, Minnesota is 1-3-1, including a 2-0 loss in the title game of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association- Women's League Championship. The Gophers swept a pair of home games from Dartmouth, Dec. 11-12.
A travel package for fans is available. For more information contact Colette Weiser at (612) 624-4528.
