University of Minnesota Athletics
No. 4 Gophers Upset in WCHA FINAL FACE-OFF
3/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
With the loss, the Gophers are 1-3-1 against the Badgers this season. Minnesota is not playing in the WCHA Tournament final for the first time in seven years.
Gigi Marvin put the first tally on the scoreboard, scoring her 21st goal of the season at 14:07 in the first period, Emily West and Brittany Francis were credited with assists. Francis battled for the puck at the blue line, and passed to West before Marvin picked it up and found the back of the net.
The Gophers’ lead didn’t last long, as the Badgers evened the score just 2:30 later. Wisconsin tied the score at 1-1 when Jinelle Zaugg netted an unassisted goal at 16:37 in the first.
The Badgers took the lead less than two minutes into the second period, when Erika Lawler scored on a pass from Hilary Knight. Wisconsin widened its lead to 3-1 as Lawler and Knight teamed up for their second score of the afternoon at 17:44 in the second stanza.
Minnesota answered with a goal of its own as Marvin scored her second goal of the game on a pass from West at 18:55 of the second period. The teams entered the locker room at the second intermission with a 3-2 score in favor of the Badgers.
Minnesota fought back to even the score at 3-3 when freshman Jen Schoullis netted her seventh goal of the season. Dagney Wiley and Bobbi Ross assisted on the goal. Ross won a faceoff, passed to Wiley at the blue line. A shot from Wiley at the top of the left circle went wide of the goal, but a rebound came off the boards from behind the net and Schoullis converted on a shallow angle shot to tie the score.
The Badgers regained the lead at 11:05, taking advantage of the power play opportunity. Jinelle Zaugg netted her second tally of the game off the face off.
The Gophers pulled goalie Kim Hanlon in the final minute to add an extra skater, but were unable to capitalize in spite of several scoring chances.
Minnesota will await the NCAA Hockey Committee’s decision on national championship berths tomorrow.
