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| Rachel Cole played effectively on Saturday |
Helped by a late barrage that inflated the score well past what had been a one- or two-goal contest most of the way, Colorado topped the Lady Ice Lions 7-1 Saturday night to complete a sweep of a one-day doubleheader between the teams.
No. 15 Penn State dropped to 3-11-1 overall with the decision, while the victorious, 13th-ranked Buffaloes climbed to 11-6-0.
In what wound up being PSU's best moment of the 60 minutes, Darby Kern potted her 14th goal of the season to cut the Colorado lead to 2-1 with 5:02 left in the second period. With the teams skating 4-on-4 thanks to Meghan Miller and CU's Leah MacArthur both being boxed for an entanglement away from the play. Liz Tuorinsky took advantage of the available ice with a searing pass to Kern through center, and the senior left wing bested Buffaloes goalie Bridget Murphy.
Prior to that, but subsequent to a scoreless first period, Leila Nichols and Monica Patten - who scored Colorado's overtime winner in the morning meeting - gave the designated away squad at Liberty's LaHaye Ice Center a 2-0 lead. Nichols struck first on a floater through traffic off the left side, while Patten delivered thanks to a long backside rebound and PSU goalie Sumire Clevenger's down and out status.
Kaye Sitterley, the Buffaloes' leading scorer, pumped the deficit back up to two early in the third period. Set up by Elle Dice, Sitterley curled behind the Penn State cage before fading out into the right circle and sniping along the ice.
PSU certainly had chances to get closer, including through a generally potent power play, one that saw the ice twice during the course of the evening, twice in the third period. However, the Buffs killed off the two minutes both times, as the Lady Ice Lions proved more successful when both teams were short one player.
The score held at 3-1 until 3:45 remained in the match, when CU's Kathleen Ash scored on an awkward play. In transition, Ash was tracked down by the PSU backcheck, but the resulting loose puck propelled forward and underneath Clevenger, who attempted to pounce and missed. Whitney Thomas, Nichols, and Ash once again followed in the next 2:21 to rip the game wide open.
Clevenger finished with 28 saves on 35 Colorado shots, while Murphy stopped 24 of 25 on the other end.
The Lady Ice Lions will close the three-game weekend with a game against No. 1 Liberty on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. before heading home and awaiting the news of ACHA Ranking 3, due out in the coming week.
Box Score
First Period |
|---|
Scoring |
None. |
Penalties |
1. Colorado, Leah MacArthur (2:00 body checking), 7:52; 2. Penn State, Bench (2:00 too many players, served by Tarika Embar), 0:13. |
Second Period |
Scoring |
1. Colorado, Leila Nichols (Kat O'Leary), 17:30; 2. Colorado, Monica Patten (Madison Stevens, Whitney Thomas), 12:22; 3. Penn State, Darby Kern (Liz Tuorinsky), 5:02. |
Penalties |
3. Penn State, Liz Tuorinsky (2:00 boarding), 16:36; 4. Penn State, Meghan Miller (2:00 cross checking), 6:30; 5. Colorado, Leah MacArthur (2:00 hooking), 6:30. |
Third Period |
Scoring |
4. Colorado, Kaye Sitterley (Elle Dice), 18:35; 5. Colorado, Kathleen Ash (Devon Seibt), 3:45; 6. Colorado, Whitney Thomas (Kaye Sitterley), 2:28; 7. Colorado, Leila Nichols (Kat O'Leary, Alyssa Wada), 2:04; 8. Colorado, Kathleen Ash (Monica Patten, Caitlin Hanafee), 1:24. |
Penalties |
6. Colorado, Marisa Danos (2:00 roughing), 15:34; 7. Colorado, Kathleen Ash (2:00 roughing), 12:42; 8. Penn State, Cassie Dunne (2:00 roughing), 12:42. |
Goaltending |
Penn State: Sumire Clevenger: L, 28 saves/35 shots. Colorado: Bridget Murphy: W, 24 saves/25 shots. |
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