 |
 Melissa Boal scored twice in WSU's 4-0 victory on Friday. |
Feb. 17, 2006
DETROIT, Mich. - Three Warrior freshmen combined for four goals and Valery Turcotte (Jonquiere, Que./Royal Metabetchouan) earned her third shutout this season as Wayne State (11-13-5, 3-2-2 CHA) defeated Niagara (7-18-4, 1-7-1 CHA), 4-0, at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum on Friday evening.
Just over six minutes into the first period, as a Wayne State penalty was expiring to create a four-on-four situation, Melissa Boal (Pakenham, Ont./Ottawa Raiders) created a turnover in the neutral zone, skated in and fired a shot between two NU defenders to beat goaltender Allison Rutledge high on the glove side. Boal's 15th goal of the season put WSU up, 1-0, at the 6:22 mark.
Another Niagara turnover led to Wayne State's second goal at 18:44 in the first period. As the Purple Eagles were attempting to clear their zone, Lindsay DiPietro (Manotick, Ont./Ottawa Lady Senators) intercepted the puck and found Kristy Leng (Lindenhurst, Ill./Wisconsin Wild) positioned in front of Rutledge. Leng spun and got a shot off, which was saved by Rutledge. The rebound came out on the keeper's right side, however, and was collected by DiPietro who put the puck in the top corner above Rutledge's stick to earn her 12th goal of the season.
Sam Poyton (Hamilton, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) would strike next for the Warriors with her CHA-leading 22nd goal of the season at 6:08 of the second period. While on a power play, Boal sent a pass across the crease to Poyton, who was in perfect position on the post to put the Warriors ahead by three.
Three minutes and 30 second later, Boal scored her second of the game and 16th of the season to give Wayne State a 4-0 lead. The play began in the Warriors' zone, as DiPietro won the draw back to Rachael Benninger (Huntington Beach, Calif./California Selects), who sent it around the boards to Boal. A Niagara defender attempted to break up the play, but Boal poked the puck away from her and skated hard along the left boards before firing a low slap shot just inside the near post.
Through the first two periods, Wayne State held a 18-8 advantage in shots on goal.
The third period was scoreless, but Turcotte made five of her 13 saves in the final 20 minutes as she earned her fourth career shutout. Rutledge saved 20 of the Warriors' 24 shots.
Niagara went 0-for-7 on the power play, while WSU had one power-play goal in seven chances.
These two squads will meet in the second game of the series tomorrow at 4:00 p.m., with the men's game to follow at 7:00 p.m.
