March 7, 2008

Box Score

Niagara University, N.Y. - Behind senior Valery Turcotte's (Jonquiere, Quebec/Royal Metabetchouan) fourth shutout this season, the No. 1 seed Wayne State University women's hockey team rolled to 4-0 victory over No. 4 seed Robert Morris in CHA Tournament semifinal action on Friday afternoon at Dwyer Arena. The win was the 100th in the program's history. WSU (22-8-3, 9-2-1 CHA) will take on No. 2 Mercyhurst in the tournament final on Saturday, March 8 at 7:00 p.m.

In addition to Turcotte's shutout, which was the ninth of her career, the WSU blueliners held RMU (12-22-1, 2-9-0 CHA) to a 0-for-6 power-play mark.

Offensively, junior Sammi Bowers (Littleton, Col./Colorado Selects (North Dakota) led the way for the Warriors with a career and game-high three assists. Freshman Janet Babchishin (Sturgis, Sask./Saskatachewan Prairie Ice) also tallied a career-high two goals while junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) tallied the game-winner to increase her point streak to 18 games. Sophomore Katrina Protapapas (Chatham, Ont./Bluewater Hawks) also added her eighth goal of the season.

Sophomore Tegan Schroeder (Lumsden, Sask./Notre Dame Hounds and junior Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) assisted on the game-winning goal. DiPietro also moved her school-record point streak to 19 games. Sophomore Chelsea Burnett (Ridgeway, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) also added a helper.

Robert Morris goalie Brianne McLaughlin made 18 saves in the losing effort.

The first period was a defensive struggle with either team getting many scoring opportunities. Robert Morris came up short on their first chance as Morgan Beikrich ringed a shot off the post at with 2:30 left. WSU broke the scoreless drought with only 54 seconds left in the frame. DiPietro won a face-off in the RMU zone and drew the puck back to Schroeder at the blueline. Schroeder then fed Boal who ripped a shot from just past the right face-off circle. The puck hit McLaughlin and trickled through her pads for a 1-0 lead

Wayne State wasted little time in the second period incrasing its lead to two goals. Bowers got the puck skating down the left side and sent a crisp pass across the crease to Babchishin who put it home. The Warriors then turned its special teams on both ends of the rink. Defensively, the penalty kill unit killed off a 5-on-3 situation and another man advantage shortly afterwards to keep RMU off the board. WSU then got a power-play goal from Protopapas who put home a feed from Bowers and Burnett for a 3-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

WSU went into a defensive shell in the third period to preserve the shutout. Babchishin also added an empty netter which only made a difference in the final score.