University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER WOMEN'S HOCKEY LOSES TO WISCONSIN
3/10/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota, the regular-season WCHA-Women's League champion, must now wait until Sunday, March 18, to hear if it is among the teams chosen for the 2001 NCAA Inaugural Women's Frozen Four. The Gophers' record falls to 23-9-2 with the loss. Wisconsin improves to 21-9-5.
The Gophers owned the lead and the momentum, heading into the third period with a 3-2 lead. Before the loss, Minnesota was 20-1-0 when heading into the final period with a lead.
The Badgers tied the score on an unassisted goal by Nicole Uliasz, 5:51into the period. Millar scored the gamewinner nearly three minutes later off assists from Meghan Hunter and Sis Paulsen. Minnesota had a golden opportunity to tie the score at the 7:22 mark of the third period, when La Toya Clarke broke away from the Wisconsin defense for a one-on-one dual with Badger goalie Jackie MacMillan. Clarke darted to the right and fired. MacMillan dove and made the save.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the first period on a Nadine Muzerall goal, her 28th of the season. The assist was credited to Ronda Curtin.
The teams traded the next four goals on power plays. Wisconsin's Kendra Antony broke the Badgers into the scoring column just 26 seconds into the second period. Gopher rookie La Toya Clarke answered with the first of her two goals on the game at 3:20 of the second, only 12 seconds into the power play. Ambria Thomas and Courtney Kennedy added the assists. For Thomas, it was the 200th point of her Gopher career.
Badger rookie Meghan Hunter knotted the score at two with her nation-leading 42nd goal of the season. Clarke scored the Gophers' final goal at 19:21 of the second period off assists by Thomas and Kennedy.
Minnesota outshot Wisconsin by a 36-22 margin. MacMillan collected 33 saves in net for Wisconsin, while Erica Killewald stopped 18 shots for Minnesota.
