Badgers Earn 3-2 Victory Over Lakers
November 16, 2002 | Women's Hockey
Kerry Weiland's (Palmer, Alaska) unassisted goal at 15:12 of the third period won the game for Wisconsin in a 3-2 win over Mercyhurst at Erie Civic Center on Saturday.
Kendra Antony (Yorkton, Saskatchewan) found Mercyhurst goaltender Tiffany Ribble's short side to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead. Kathy Devereaux (Seaforth, Ontario) fed Molly Engstrom (Siren, Wis.) at the right point, who passed down the boards to a waiting Antony. The senior skated off the boards towards goal and found room between Ribble's left pad and the post for the score. Antony's third of the season came at 14:50 of the first period.
The Badgers beat the clock with a goal at 19:49 of the first when junior Karen Rickard (Bowmanville, Ontario) scored to give the UW a 2-0 lead. Steph Millar (Hudson, Wis.) held the puck behind the Laker goal and battled a defender before Meghan Hunter (Oil Springs, Ontario) joined the fray. Millar got the puck to the Badgers' leading scorer, who spotted Rickard cutting down the slot. The junior's one-timer found room between Ribble's pads and went in for her third of the season.
The Lakers grabbed some life early in the second with a goal 45 seconds into the period. Jennifer Jeffrey's point shot was stopped by Jackie MacMillan (Buffalo, Minn.), but the rebound bounced off Sara McDonald in front and past MacMillan for the goal.
Mercyhurst evened the game at 13:54 when Samantha Shirley capitalized on a breakaway. From inside her own blue line, defender Britney Millar hit Shirley with a pass just outside the UW blue line. The frosh skated in alone and fired a snap shot to MacMillan's blocker side.
An individual effort by the All-American Weiland, who missed the last three Badger contests, put Wisconsin back on top. Weiland pinched along the left boards and kept in a Laker clearing attempt. She kept her momentum, and the puck, and skated off the boards towards the high slot. The senior turned into shooting position and fired a slap shot the beat Ribble along the ice to the right. The unassisted tally, Weiland's second of the season, came at the 15:12 mark.
The rest of the way, the puck stayed mainly deep in the Laker defensive zone, with the Badgers not allowing Mercyhurst to break out of its own zone. The Lakers did manage one scramble in front of the UW net, but MacMillan kept the puck from crossing the goal line, and the Badgers earned the 3-2 victory.
MacMillan made 17 saves and improved to 6-4-1 with the win. Ribble drops to 9-2-0 with her -save effort.
Wisconsin (6-4-1, 1-4-1 WCHA) looks for the sweep tomorrow against Mercyhurst (10-3-0, 2-0-0 CHA). The Badgers and Lakers meet at Mercyhurst Ice Arena at noon CST.
