Oct. 23, 2004

[box score]

BEMIDJI, Minn. - No. 1 Minnesota (6-0-0, 6-0-0 WCHA) earned a series sweep of the Bemidji State (1-5-0, 0-4-0 WCHA) women’s hockey team with a 5-2 victory Saturday afternoon at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. Junior Jill Luebke (Neenah, Wis.) staged yet another strong showing in net, turning away a season-high 42 of 47 Minnesota shots. Freshman Tara Hiscock (Bemidji, Minn.) netted her first collegiate goal in the contest.

In a period that saw the Golden Gophers compile a 16-5 shot advantage, Minnesota opened the game’s scoring at the 8:38 mark of the first period when Krissy Wendell tabbed one of her two goals on the day. Wendell struck again less than five minutes later to give the defending national champions a 2-0 lead.

Bemidji State cut into Minnesota’s lead at 14:27 of the first period as rookie Tara Hiscock snuck the puck through the legs of Golden Gopher goalie Brenda Reinen to collect her first lamplighter of the year. Sophomore Kelly Hart (Ajax, Ontario) tallied her second assist of the season and her team-leading fifth point of the year on Hiscock’s goal.

The UM made the score 3-1 with a goal from Bobbi Ross at the 16:04 mark of the opening stanza.

BSU lit up the scoreboard just 1:42 into the second period off a rebound goal from sophomore Kate Robinson (Shanty Bay, Ontario), her second marker of the season and third point of her sophomore campaign. Junior Carly Napier (Toronto, Ontario) was credited with her first helper of 2004-05 on the goal.

The Beavers were held scoreless in the closing period of play, while Minnesota received an even-strength goal from Becky Wacker at 4:12 and a power-play tally from Kelly Stephens at 6:02 of the third period to give the Golden Gophers a three-goal cushion and 5-2 victory.

Bemidji State’s power-play woes continued in the game as the Beavers went 0-7 with a player advantage. BSU finished the weekend 0-12 on the power play and the Beavers have now gone 0-20 in their last three games with a player advantage.

Minnesota finished 1-4 on the power play.

The Golden Gophers ended the day with 47 shots compared to 18 by the Beavers.

Luebke finished the series with 89 saves, and Saturday’s 42-save performance was the second-highest of the year. Luebke has now amassed 179 saves in five games this season, which averages out to 35.8 saves per game. In addition, Luebke has turned aside at least 34 shots in four of her five appearances thus far. Her record is now 1-4-0.

Brenda Reinen made 16 saves and her record improves to 2-0-0.

The schedule does not get any easier for Bemidji State as it hosts No. 5 Minnesota-Duluth, its fourth consecutive nationally-ranked opponent on Friday, Oct. 29 and Saturday, Oct. 30 at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. Friday’s game begins at 7:05 p.m., while Saturday’s contest is set to start at 2:05 p.m.