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As the Wayne State University women’s hockey team officially celebrates its 10th Anniversary this weekend at the City Sports Center, the 2009-10 Warriors (8-11-3, 4-4-0 CHA) will host the Syracuse Orange (13-12-1, 4-4-0 CHA) in a pivotal College Hockey America series. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Friday for Doc Andrews Alumni Night and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Wayne State was swept on the road last weekend by Quinnipiac, losing 2-1 on Friday and 4-1 on Saturday. Syracuse, which lost a pair of games to the Bobcats two weeks ago, saw its losing streak reach four after two setbacks against top-ranked Mercyhurst (8-1, 4-3).
The Warriors, who only have conference games remaining, are idle next weekend before wrapping up their home regular-season schedule Feb. 12-13 against Niagara.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Jim Fetter is 108-95-21 in his seventh season at the helm of the WSU women’s hockey program. He earned his third consecutive CHA Coach of the Year award two years ago in addition to being named the Women’s Division I Coach of the Year by the American Hockey Coaches Association.
Head coach Paul Flanagan has a 22-28-4 record in his second season at Syracuse. Flanagan ranks 10th in wins all-time in NCAA women’s hockey history, as his career record, including nine prior seasons at St. Lawrence, stands at 252-111-28.
| Hear coach Jim Fetter's thoughts on his team's recent performances against Robert Morris and Quinnipiac, his thoughts on the upcoming series and more in Wednesday's podcast. |
THROUGH THE YEARS
Wayne State leads the all-time series against Syracuse, 5-1-0, dating back to 2008. The Warriors won the first five meetings against the Orange until SU’s 3-2 victory eight weeks ago. Wayne State has outscored Syracuse, 21-12, in the six games.
IN THE POLLS
WSU and Syracuse were predicted to finish third and fourth, respectively, in the 2009-10 CHA preseason poll.
SCOUTING SYRACUSE
The Orange had a brief run in the national top 10 heading into the New Year, but its current four-game losing skid is the longest since the team started this season with an 0-4-1 record. Three of SU’s four losses were one-goal games, while the other was a lopsided 8-1 loss to the Lakers on Friday.
Freshman forward Isabel Menard, whose 1.15 points/game average ranks second only to Ohio State’s Hokey Langan (1.42) in the nation among rookies, is the fifth-leading scorer in the conference with 30 points. Junior forwards Julie Rising (12-13--25) and Stefanie Marty (12-12--24) rank eighth and ninth, respectively, in the CHA in points. The trio accounted for three of Syracuse’s four goals in the Dec. 4-5 split with Wayne State at the Tennity Ice Pavilion.
Special teams could be a significant factor in deciding this weekend’s series. While Syracuse has the fifth-best power-play percentage in the country (21.6), its penalty-killing average is sixth-lowest (79.7). Wayne State is 18th (15.5) and 17th (84.8), respectively.
Senior Lucy Schoedel has started every game for the Orange this season and has a 2.63 goals-against average with a .905 save percentage.
LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State lost for the first time in program history to Quinnipiac, 2-1, on Friday afternoon at the TD Bank Sports Center. The Bobcats nearly tripled the shot output of the Warriors, 44-16, to win their fifth straight game, all of which were one-goal decisions.
The 44 shots allowed was the highest total since Mercyhurst finished with 56 shots in a 5-4 WSU victory on Feb. 8, 2008, while sophomore goaltender
Delayne Brian’s career-high 42 saves were the most since Valery Turcotte’s 52 in that game.
Kelley Davies and Janine Duffy scored within an 11-second span in the second period. Sophomore defenseman
Ciara Lee netted her first collegiate goal at 7:09 of the third, but WSU could not find the equalizer.
Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Bobcats resulted in a sweep, only the second suffered by the Warriors this season. For the second day in a row Wayne State did not have a single power-play opportunity. WSU was also held to a season-low 12 shots on goal.
As neither team was able to light the lamp over the first two periods, Kallie Flor snapped the tie with her first of two goals on the afternoon just 16 seconds into the third period. Jordan Elkins earned her first of three assists on the play.
Sophomore
Micheline Frappier’s point streak reached three games as she scored her third goal of the year at 2:04, with an assist from freshman
Jaclyn Stapleton, her second helper of the season.
The 1-1 tie was short-lived, as Kristen Eklund’s goal at 2:56 gave the Bobcats the lead for the duration of the game. Flor added her second tally of the contest at 13:48, and Duffy tacked on an empty-netter in the final minute.
Brian finished with 28 saves, giving her a career-high 70 for the series. She also kept Quinnipiac off the board on its seven power-play chances on the weekend.
DOC ANDREWS ALUMNI NIGHT
The Wayne State University Athletic Alumni Association has invited alumni and students to celebrate its Fourth Annual Doc Andrews Alumni Night on Friday. A pre-game reception at Z’s Villa will begin at 5:00 p.m. prior to the game, and the cost ($15 for members, $20 for non-members) includes includes appetizers, two beverage tickets, shuttle service to and from the game, and a game ticket. Proceeds go to support the Doc Andrews Scholarship Fund.
The late Mark E. “Doc” Andrews, a legendary Detroit sportscaster and media personality, received the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame Honor Award, which recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in assisting Wayne State Warrior Athletics, posthumously in 2005.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, WSU HOCKEY
The Wayne State women’s hockey program is celebrating its 10th anniversary this season. Since this program’s inception in 1999, nearly 100 student-athletes have represented the green and gold on the ice.
The Warriors have played 329 games, winning 129 of them, and have scored 786 goals.
Wayne State’s opened its inaugural 1999-2000 season Oct. 1 with an 8-0 exhibition victory at Michigan State. Conversely, its first regular-season game Oct. 15 at Minnesota State resulted in an 8-0 loss. Despite winning all 11 exhibition games, the Warriors went 0-21-0 in regular-season games.
The program has come a long way since, as WSU is coming off of two straight 20-plus win seasons. The team earned a share of the 2007 CHA regular-season title, and cracked the top 10 of the national polls.
Wayne State has accumulated 30 All-CHA awards and crowned its first All-American in Melissa Boal (2007-08).
ROOKIE PRODUCTION
Two of Wayne State’s seven freshmen are among the team’s leading scorers.
Julie Ingratta is tied for second with 13 points, tied for fourth-most among CHA rookies.
Gina Buquet has 11 points.
Jenaya Townsend and
Julie Hebert have six points apiece. Collectively, the freshman class has accounted for 40 of Wayne State’s 117 points (34.2 percent).
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Wayne State has posted a winning record in the month of January each of the last four seasons. The Warriors were 5-2-1 in January last season, 6-1-1 two years ago and 4-3-1 in both 2007 and 2006.
Furthermore, the team has not posted a losing record in January since a 3-4-1 mark in 2003. WSU was 2-2-0 in 2005 and 4-4-1 in 2004.
WSU HOCKEY NOTES
• Before last weekend, the last time WSU was without a power-play chance was Jan. 14, 2006 at Mercyhurst.
• The Warriors are 6-6-2 in games scoreless through the first period this season and 2-2-1 when tied at 0-0 through 40 minutes.
• Lee has three career points (two assists last year).