Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Minnesota Duluth Women Complete WCHA Sweep of BSU Sunday
Oct. 14, 2007
DULUTH, Minn. - The jersey might be different, but it was the same talent standing between the pipes.
Junior goaltender Johanna Ellison made her grand debut in a University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey uniform on Sunday, and typical to the success she found in the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center as a prep, she helped the No. 5 Bulldogs remain perfect on the season, beating a stingy Bemidji State University team 1-0. The clean sheet is the fourth by UMD so far this season, and the fourth in the Bulldogs record-tying run. The only other time in UMD program history a squad has racked up as many blank scoresheets in a row was during the 2002-03 season when the Bulldogs went four games without allowing a point (Nov.1-9, 2002).
For a team that hasn't a found a net it didn't like this year, defense was the name of the game for both teams Sunday afternoon. UMD, which hasn't been held to less than three goals a game yet this season, ran into red-hot Beaver goaltender Emily Brookshaw. Brookshaw turned away 35 shots, shunning a respectable Bulldog attack that increased their shot output every period.
Senior forward Karin Demeule scored the lone UMD goal at the 6:48 mark of the second period in the captain's typical fashion, sweeping home from the step a pass from the point, courtsey of freshman Iya Gavrilova and sophomore Sarah Murray. The goal was Demeule's exclamation point on the weekend after scoring three of the five Bulldog tallies during the WCHA series.
Ellison, a Cloquet, Minn. native and transfer from Boston College, displayed true poise down the stretch, making 16 saves overall and standing up to the Beavers offensive flurry as the contest wound down.
Despite Brookshaw's heroics, Bemidji State drops to 0-3-1 overall and in the WCHA, and remain winless against UMD in 36 attempts.
"We came out a little flat and needed more fire to start the game," said head coach Shannon Miller. "But as the game went on and we had to work harder to score, we played better and better. We mustered some great offensive attempts and just happened to run into a goalie who really played superb."
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The Bulldogs, who stand a tall 4-0 overall and in the WCHA, return to the DECC next weekend when they host nationally ranked No. 2 Mercyhurst College in a rematch of last season's NCAA Quarterfinal. The puck will drop at 3:07 p.m. Saturday and 1:07 p.m. Sunday.
