Minnesota-Duluth Wins WCHA Women's Final Five
March 8, 2003
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Senior Erika Holst scored two goals, including the game-winner, to pace Minnesota-Duluth (29-3-2) to the 2003 WCHA Women's Final Five title with a 5-3 victory over Minnesota (27-6-1) at Ralph Engelstad Arena on Saturday.
After falling behind 1-0 when Minnesota's Kelly Stephens scored unassisted after a face off in the Gopher defensive zone, Minnesota-Duluth tallied four-straight times before the second period expired.
Stephens beat a UMD defender to the puck after the Bulldogs won an offensive zone faceoff and skated into UMD territory with Chelsey Brodt on a two-on-one. Stephens faked a pass and beat UMD's all-tournament netminder Patricia Sautter through the five hole. The goal came at 10:38 of the first period.
Tournament MVP Caroline Ouellette gave UMD the equalizer at 19:40 on a nifty deflection of Krista McArthur's point shot. The rookie's 29th of the season came at 19:40 of the first.
Jenny Potter gave UMD its first lead at 1:25 of the second period from Hanne Sikio for her 31st of the season.
Then Holst went to work, scoring back-to-back scores, her 32nd and 33rd of the year, at 10:03 and 11:15 of the second stanza. The goals gave UMD a 4-1 lead heading into the final period.
The Gophers made it a game near the midpoint of the third period with consecutive power-play scores within 16 seconds of each other. All-tourney forward La Toya Clarke scored her 11th at 8:29, then Stephens notched her second of the game and 19th of the season at 8:45 to pull Minnesota within one at 4-3.
But after a Minnesota-Duluth timeout at 9:45, Nora Tallus scored a power-play score for the Bulldogs at 12:18 to regain a two-goal lead at 5-3. Maria Rooth set up the goal with a near end-to-end rush before setting up Tallus in the slot.
Sautter stopped 32 saves and improved to 24-3-2. Horak made 33 saves, but fell to 23-5-0.
2003 WCHA Women's Final Five All-Tournament Team
Tournament MVP
Caroline Ouellette, Minnesota-Duluth
Forwards
Erika Holst, Minnesota-Duluth
La Toya Clarke, Minnesota
Jeni Creary, Ohio State
Defense
Winny Brodt, Minnesota
Sis Paulsen, Wisconsin
Goaltender
Patricia Sautter, Minnesota-Duluth
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