University of Minnesota Athletics
NO. 1 GOPHERS DEFEAT FINDLAY 7-1
1/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Findlay took the first blow as the Oilers scored at 5:45 of the first period. However, Minnesota would score seven goals after the initial Oiler goal en route to a 7-1 defeat. Clarke started the Minnesota rally at 12:53 of the first, scoring on her own rebound off of Findlay's goalie Erin Blair. The Gophers would another goal by Noelle Sutton to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead.
Minnesota came out strong in the second period as Clarke scored her second goal at 1:10 with the assist going to Jerilyn Glenn. Minnesota's Ronda Curtin</ a> tallied a goal 1:01 later as the Gophers took a 4-1 lead. Clarke completed her hat trick at the 10:34 mark of the second as the Gophers went up 5-1 by the second intermission.
The Minnesota senior co-captains Tracy Engstrom and Laura Slominski each contributed a goal in the third for the final 7-1 win. Engstrom's goal, her 11th of the year, came on a rebound, which led the Oilers to pull their goalie and put in Amy Jones. Slominski battled for the puck on a faceoff and took a shot, finding the back of the net for the unassisted goal.
Three of Minnesota's goals went unassisted, while five members of the Gopher squad collected a point. Clarke added three points, Curtin had a goal and an assist, Glenn tacked on two assists and junior forward Gwen Anderson had one assist.
The Gophers will host Findlay again tomorrow afternoon. Minnesota will look to go undefeated at home, posting an 11-0-3 record at Mariucci Arena.
