Feb. 14, 2007

Detroit, Mich. -

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The Wayne State women's hockey team (12-15-1, 4-4-0 CHA/2nd) ends its season-high eight-game road trip at No. 1 Mercyhurst (27-1-2, 8-0-0 CHA/1st) on Feb. 16-17. The Warriors enter the contest after a split at Niagara (L 6-2, W 2-1), while the Lakers shut out visiting Robert Morris twice (7-0, 6-0).

The Series
Mercyhurst leads the all-time series, 28-0-2, dating back to the 1999-00 season, the inaugural year for both squads.

Behind the Bench
Jim Fetter is in his fourth season at Wayne State and has a record of 54-63-13.

In his eighth year at Mercyhurst, Michael Sisti has a record of 190-60-19.

Scouting the Warriors
Wayne State won and lost at Niagara last weekend, falling, 6-2, on Friday and earning a 2-1 win the next day. The Warriors and Purple Eagles split the regular-season series, 2-2-0.

Niagara led 4-0 after the first period on Friday and 5-0 midway through the second period before sophomore forwards Sam Poyton and Lindsay DiPietro scored three minutes apart. Wayne State outshot the Purple Eagles, 44-20, but NU's Allison Rutledge made a season-high 42 saves.

On Saturday, Niagara scored first, but freshman forward Katrina Protopapas tied the contest at the 10 minute mark of the first period. Sophomore forward Melissa Boal scored the eventual game winner on a breakaway just 1:25 into the second period. Junior netminder Tiffany Thompson made 28 saves in the game, including all 25 in the final 40 minutes. Melissa Boal needs four points to become the all-time leading scorer in Wayne State women's hockey history. She currently has 86 points, three behind Kelly Zamora (89).

Boal leads the team in goals (22), points (38), power-play goals (10) and short-handed goals (2), while DiPietro is tops with 23 assists.

Junior netminder Valery Turcotte has seen the majority of time in goal and has a record of 8-12-1, a 3.74 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage. Thompson (4-3-0, 3.06, .871) has also seen a chunk of ice time.

Wayne State has converted 32-of-151 (.212) man-advantage opportunities and killed 115-of-148 (.777) opponent chances.

Scouting the Lakers
No. 1 Mercyhurst ran its unbeaten streak to 18 games and its winning streak to seven games with a sweep of Robert Morris last weekend at the MIC, 7-0 and 6-0. The Lakers won all four regular season meetings against the Colonials and outscored RMU, 21-0, in the process. Freshman forward Angelica Lorsell recorded the first multiple-goal game of her collegiate career on Friday. Freshman forward Meghan Agosta's record-setting 16-game scoring streak was stopped the same evening.

Agosta leads the team in goals (31), points (59), power-play goals (15), short-handed goals (5) and game-winning tallies (7). Senior forward Julia Colizza is tops on the team with 32 assists.

Junior goaltender Laura Hosier has seen the majority of time in goal and has a record of 22-1-1, a 1.44 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.

The Lakers have converted 51-of-213 (.239) power play opportunities and have killed 196-of-216 (.907) opponent chances.

Mercyhurst boasts the sixth-ranked power play unit in the country, the second-ranked penalty kill, the third-ranked scoring offense (4.33) and the second-ranked scoring defense (1.40). Agosta is second nationally in both points per game (2.11) and goals per game (1.11), and leads the nation in short-handed goals (5). Hosier is ranked fourth in the country in goals-against average (1.44). Agosta needs just five points to become the single-season points leader in MC history with 64 (current leader C.J. Ireland had 63 points in the 1999-00 season).

Up Ahead
Wayne State ends the regular season hosting Robert Morris on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23-24, at the Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Both games begin at 3:30 p.m. and are part of a doubleheader with the men's hockey team. Saturday will be Senior Day as co-captain Laura Monk (Mississauga, Ontario/Stoney Creek Sabres) will be honored.