University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Fall to Top-Ranked Dartmouth, 3-2
2/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
The No. 2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team fell to top- ranked Dartmouth College, 3-2 this afternoon at Ridder Arena. The Golden Gophers fall to 19-3-1 in the 2003-04 campaign, while the Big Green improve to 17-1-2.
The two teams visited the penalty box a total of 12 times in just the first period. Minnesota had eight penalties for 16 minutes, while Dartmouth had four penalties for eight minutes. Both teams then took advantage with the extra person. La Toya Clarke was the first to scored a power-play goal at 12:33 of the first period. Clarke buried the puck for her 17th goal of the season, while Noelle Sutton and Kelly Stephens were credited with the assists. The Big Green added a power-play goal of their own at 13:51 of the first. Dartmouth put the game at 2-1 with less than a minute remaining in the first. Cherie Piper scored at 19:01 for her seventh goal of the season.
In the first stanza, Dartmouth was 1-6 on the power play, while the Gophers were 1-2 in the first. The Maroon and Gold killed off two of Dartmouth's five-on-three attempts, including one lasting 1:33.
The Gophers tied the game just :33 after the first-period intermission, putting the game at a 2-2 draw. Stephens netted her 12th goal of the season, while Krissy Wendell and Danielle Ashley were credited with the assists. With the assist, Wendell tallied her 100th career point as a member of the Golden Gophers. She became the 12th person in Golden Gopher history to earn over 100 points for the Maroon and Gold in its seventh season.
However, the Big Green would take the lead and the win when Tiffany Hagge scored the game-winning goal at 11:17 of the second. Piper and Apps were credited with the assists.
The Gophers tried to score in the third firing the puck 11 times, but were unsuccessful. Minnesota had its best opportunity midway through the period when Clarke rifled a wrist shot, but the puck hit the inside part of the pipe. Minnesota pulled goalie Jody Horak leaving :38 to attempt the tie, but the Gophers couldn't put the game into overtime.
Horak had 25 saves in the game, including 13 in the first period. With the loss, Horak falls to 14-3-1.
Minnesota will look for the split tomorrow at 1:05 p.m. at Ridder Arena.
