Feb. 8, 2008

Box Score

Erie, Pa. - School history was made by the Wayne State University women's hockey team as junior Sam Poyton's (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) game-winning overtime goal gave the Warriors a 5-4 victory over #7/6 Mercyhurst in a CHA showdown Friday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. The victory moved WSU (17-6-2, 5-0-0 CHA) into sole possession of first place in the conference standings and marked the first time the Warriors have defeated the Lakers (19-5-2, 4-1-0) snapping a 33-game winless streak.

WSU's school record winning streak now moves to nine games with the team remaining unbeaten over the last 10 games while MC saw its five-game win streak come to an end. The win also was WSU's first over a nationally ranked opponent since last season when the Warriors defeated #9 Princeton, 4-2, Dec. 6, 2006.

Mercyhurst overcame a 4-1 deficit to force overtime. In the extra frame, MC was unable to clear the puck from its zone which ended up on the stick of sophomore Tegan Schroeder (Lumsden, Sask./Notre Dame Hounds) who skated down the left side moving behind the net for a wrap-around attempt. Mercyhurst goalie Laura Hosier made the save but was not able to corral the puck which rebounded off her pads in front of the net in traffic where Poyton was standing to put home the game-winning tally earning No. 1 star of the honors.

Defensively, senior Valery Turcotte (Jonquiere, Quebec/Royal Metabetchouan) was outstanding in net earning No. 2 star of the game honors picking up her 12th win of the season with 52 saves (21 in the third period) which was only four shy of the school record for saves in game. She is now unbeaten in her last 10 consecutive starts. Despite Mercyhurst's four goals, Turcotte and the WSU blueliners were able to hold the nation's top goal scorer Meghan Agosta scoreless snapping her school record 20-game point streak

Poyton and freshman Adrianna Pfeffer (Farmington Hills, Mich./Belle Tire U-19) led the Warriors with two goals each while junior Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) added a goal and an assist. Junior Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) and sophomore Chelsea Burnett (Ridgeway, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) both recorded two assists while junior Sammi Bowers (Littleton, Colo./Colorado Select) and freshman Janet Babchishin (Sturgis, Sask./Saskatchewan Prairie Ice) each chipped in with a helper each.

Mercyhurst was led by Valerie Chouinard, Jesse Scanzano and Sherilyn Frazier who each had a goal and assist.

In the first period, Mercyhurst took advantage of a Wayne State penalty with a power-play goal from Geena Prough on a feed from Stephanie Jones to take a 1-0 lead. WSU would respond three minutes later as DiPietro tied the game on assists by Burnett and Boal. The Warriors were not done as Burnett took the puck off a turnover, skated down the right side and made a centering pass to a streaking Pfeffer who buried the feed in the back of the net for a 2-1 lead at the 14:31 mark. WSU would once again take advantage of a MC turnover as DiPietro got the puck in the neutral zone and pushed it up to Boal who put a long pass on the tape of Poyton who beat Hosier giving the Warriors a two goal advantage, 3-1 heading into the first intermission.

At the 14:19 mark of the second period, Pfeffer struck again with her second goal of the game. Babchishin got the puck over to Bowers behind the net who in turn centered to pass to Pfeffer in front of the net who lit the lamp giving WSU a commanding 4-1 lead. However, Mercyhurst responded later in the frame as Chouinard took a pass in front of the crease from Scanzano and Fraser and beat Turcotte cutting the lead in half at 4-2.

At the 5:42 mark of the third period, Scanzano got her first goal of the game redirecting a shot from Chouinard just in side the blue line to pull MC within one, 4-3. Frazier would add the equalizer at the 16:06 mark with a shot from a face-off win to knot the game at 4-4.

The series finale between WSU and MC is set for Saturday, Feb. 9 at 3:00 p.m.