BOSTON, Mass. - The Boston University women's ice hockey team earned its first win of the season, skating to a 6-0 victory against Union at Walter Brown Arena Saturday afternoon. Five players got in on the scoring action for the Terriers, with junior co-captain Sarah Russell scoring twice. Boston University sent home five of its goals in the second period, while the Terrier defense held the Dutchwomen to only six shots in the game.
The Terriers' defense proved to be its offense early on, as Russell scored off a pass from senior Julie Poulin. Russell scored again in the second, opening the floodgates for a flurry of Terrier goals. Including Russell's score, Boston University netted four goals in a 2:29 span in the second period, including goals from junior Caroline Bourdeau, senior Stephanie Armstrong and sophomore Melissa Anderson. Sophomore Sarah Appleton capped the day's scoring, putting the team's sixth goal on the board with 46 seconds left in the second period. Boston University set team records for shots (50) and goals in one period (five).
Russell's first goal came in the first period, as she and Poulin passed the puck back and forth looking for the open shot. Russell found it and sent the puck towards goal, getting her shot just above the netminder's shoulder with 12:12 left in the period. Terrier defenders held Union to only four shots in the period, the most the Dutchwomen would take in any period all day.
The co-captain scored again, elevating the puck for a goal with 5:32 left in the second period off a pass from freshman Lauren Cherewyk.
The Terrier scoring came fast and furious after that, as Bourdeau scored 41 seconds later off assists from sophomore Jonnie Bloemers and freshman Jillian Kirchner. Kirchner took a shot on goal off a pass from Bloemers, which was defended by Union goaltender Lundy Day. The puck came loose after Day's initial stop and Bourdeau sent it in over the sprawling goaltender.
Armstrong tacked on her goal 48 seconds later, with 4:03 left in the period, on a shot that bounced off the post and hit the goaltender's pads to score, with assists coming from sophomores Melissa Tetreau and Jenn Arms.
Anderson added her team-leading fourth goal with 3:03 left in the period off assists from sophomore Sarah Appleton and junior Erin Seman. Appleton then scored a goal of her own with 46 seconds left in the period, slotting a shot through the netminder's five-hole off assists from Kirchner and Bloemers, each earning their second assist of the day.
The Terriers' five goals in the second period were the most the team has ever scored in one period, overtaking the four-goal mark which was most recently attained on Feb. 3, 2007. During that game, BU scored four times in the third period to take the 4-3 lead against Northeastern, only to have the Huskies score with 1:26 left in the period. The teams skated to a 4-4 draw.
BU also set a team record by taking 50 shots, eclipsing the 47 shot performance against this same Union team on Nov. 25, 2006. BU also won that game, 4-1.
Junior Allyse Wilcox only had to make six saves between the pipes during the first two periods, after which she was lifted for sophomore Ashley Leichliter, who made her first career appearance. However, no shots were taken on Leichliter as the Terrier defense was formidable in the third period.
The Terriers have a short week of rest before hosting Quinnipiac on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Walter Brown Arena.