Jan. 10, 2006

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University women's hockey team (6-11-3 overall) begins conference play with a two-game weekend series at College Hockey America rival and fifth-ranked Mercyhurst (13-6-1 overall, 4-0-0 CHA), Jan. 13-14, at the Mercyhurst Ice Arena in Erie, Pa. It is the third of three consecutive series against ranked opponents for the Warriors.

Friday's game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and Saturday's game is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.

Wayne State is coming off a pair of home losses to third-ranked Wisconsin last weekend, 5-3 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday. Mercyhurst began 2006 with a 4-0 shutout victory at Connecticut on Friday and a 5-2 win at Providence on Saturday. The Lakers have won six straight.

Wayne State will host Rensselaer next weekend as part of a doubleheader at the Michigan State Fairgrounds with the WSU men's hockey team, Jan. 20-21. The series will be broadcast over the Internet via Teamline.

BEHIND THE BENCH
Jim Fetter, a former assistant coach at Mercyhurst, is in his third season as Wayne State's head coach. He has a career record of 34-43-10 with the Warriors.

Head coach Michael Sisti is in his sixth season with the Lakers and has a career record of 153-57-12.

SERIES HISTORY
These two squads have met 24 times, with Mercyhurst getting the victory each time. Last season, the Warriors suffered home losses of 2-1 and 4-1 to the Lakers, and were shut out in Erie, 5-0 and 6-0.

IN THE POLLS
Wayne State and Niagara were ranked in a tie for second in the preseason CHA coaches' poll. Mercyhurst was ranked first in the CHA preseason coaches' poll and is currently fifth in the USCHO Division I poll.

ON THIS DATE
In Wayne State's inaugural season, the Warriors earned a 5-0 exhibition victory at Western Michigan on Jan. 14, 1999.

Two seasons later, WSU was shut out, 7-0, at fourth-ranked St. Lawrence on Jan. 13, 2001.

SCOUTING MERCYHURST
Since starting the season with a record of 3-5-1 in their first nine games, the Lakers have won 10 of their last 12 and they continue to hold a spot in the USCHO.com national poll.

Freshman Valerie Chouinard leads College Hockey America in points (29) and assists (17), and is second in goals (12). Her points-per-game average of 1.61 ranks fourth in the nation.

Chouinard and sophomore Stephanie Jones missed last weekend's games as both were in Germany playing for Canada's U-22 team in the European Air Canada Cup.

Junior Julia Colizza (11-15--26) is also a strong force on the Lakers' roster, ranking in the top three of nearly every offensive category in the CHA.

Goaltender Laura Hosier is 9-6-1 this season and leads the conference with a 2.03 goals-against average.

WARRIOR CAPTAIN
Jessica Snelgrove

WARRIOR ASSISTANT CAPTAINS
Ashley King, Peyton Patterson, Kristi Thome

NOTES
Freshman Melissa Boal is third in the CHA with 24 points, behind only Chouinard and Colizza.

Freshman Sam Poyton, who is just behind Boal with 23 points this season, has seven multi-point games, which leads the team. Six of those have come in the last eight games.

Freshman blueliner Tina Vanderhoeven is tied for second among all CHA defensemen with nine points.

Junior Laura Monk, WSU's goal-scoring leader last season, snapped a 21-game scoreless streak with her first goal of the season on Friday.

Wayne State's 87.9 penalty-kill percentage is tops in the CHA and 10th in the nation.