Feb. 7, 2006

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GAME STORYLINES
The Wayne State University women's hockey team (10-12-4, 0-1-1 CHA) faces College Hockey America rival and sixth-ranked Mercyhurst College (17-7-4, 7-0-1 CHA) at City Sports Center Arena this weekend, Feb. 10-11.

Friday's game is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m., while Saturday's game will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Wayne State was off from competition last weekend, but is on a four-game winning streak. Most recently, the Warriors earned a road sweep at Robert Morris, with victories of 4-2 (Jan. 27) and 4-1 (Jan. 28).

Mercyhurst skated to a pair of overtime ties with Colgate last weekend, 2-2 on Friday and 1-1 on Saturday. The Lakers are unbeaten in 13 of their last 14 games.

The Warriors will continue their six-game homestand next weekend, Feb. 17-18, at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum as part of a doubleheader with the WSU men's hockey team. The Niagara Purple Eagles will come to town for their first series of the season with the Warriors, and both games will be broadcast on the Internet via Teamline.

BEHIND THE BENCH
Jim Fetter is in his third season as Wayne State's head coach. He has a career record of 38-44-11 with the Warriors.

Head coach Michael Sisti is 157-58-15 in seven seasons with the Lakers.

SERIES HISTORY
Mercyhurst leads the all-time series, 25-0-1, against Wayne State. The Warriors snapped a 24-game losing streak against the Lakers with a 2-2 tie at MC on Jan. 13.

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, and is currently sixth in the USCHO Division I national poll.

ON THIS DATE
The Warriors have played just once on each date in their history. They lost to Bemidji State, 7-3, on Feb. 10, 2001.

Last season, WSU won at Niagara, 3-2, on Feb. 11.

SCOUTING MERCYHURST
Mercyhurst is 3-1-2 since its series against Wayne State last month. Its loss on Jan. 27 at New Hampshire snapped a 10-game unbeaten streak.

The Lakers have eight players with 10 points or more this season, led by freshman Valerie Chouinard (17-19--36) and junior Julia Colizza (14-18--32). The two Lakers also rank first and second, respectively, in the CHA in points.

Chouinard's average of 1.38 points per game ranks second among the nation's rookies.

Mercyhurst has a 91.1 penalty-kill percentage, which ranks second in the nation just behind Clarkson (91.2).

WARRIOR CAPTAIN
Jessica Snelgrove

WARRIOR ASSISTANT CAPTAINS
Ashley King, Peyton Patterson, Kristi Thome

NOTES
Two Warriors earned CHA weekly honors on Jan. 31, as Lindsay DiPietro was named offensive player of the week, while Sam Poyton earned the rookie of the week award.

DiPietro had six points at Robert Morris, including five assists which ties the school record for assists in a series. Poyton was also very productive, tallying two goals and five points along with a plus/minus rating of +5 and 13 shots on goal.

Sophomore Kristy Leng, after recording just two points in her first 20 games, has six points in her last four games.

Senior Rachael Benninger's goal on Jan. 28 was her first since Feb. 22, 2003, against St. Cloud State. She has at least one point in each of WSU's last three series.

Laura Monk had her five-game point streak snapped on Jan. 28. She is the third Warrior to record such a streak (Poyton, DiPietro), ranking behind Boal, who had a seven-game point streak earlier this season (Oct. 29-Nov. 20).

Jessica Snelgrove broke an eight-game pointless streak with an assist on Jan. 28.