Detroit, Mich. - The University of Maine Women's Ice Hockey team dropped a 4-3 decision to Wayne State University on Saturday afternoon. Maine fell to 1-18-2 overall while Wayne State improved to 10-6-2.
In the first period, Lindsay DiPietro put the Warriors up 1-0 when she took a pass from Sam Poyton and put it in the back of the net. The goal was scored with 4:31 remaining in the period. Chelsea Burnett also assisted on the play. With 2:21 remaining, Melissa Boal put Wayne State up 2-0 when her shot deflected off the glove of Maine freshman goalie Sarah Bishop and trickled into the net. Burnett got her second assist on the play. The Warriors outshot Maine 12-4 in the period.
In the second period, Maine pulled one back on the power play. Junior Robyn Law stole the puck in the neutral zone and was joined by teammate sophomore Jenna Ouellette with a two-on-one into the attack zone. Law put the puck on the backhand, faked the shot and passed to Ouellette who put it past Wayne State goaltender Valery Turcotte. The goal was scored at 1:57 into the period. Maine outshot Wayne State 11-10 in the period.
In the third period, Boal got her second of the game when she took a pass from DiPietro and scored to put the Warriors ahead 3-1. The power play goal was scored at 4:09 into the period. Poyton looked to put the game out of reach with 5:20 remaining when she stole the puck in the attack zone and skated in unassisted for Wayne State's fourth goal. But the Black Bears wouldn't say die. Freshman Courtney Fox sent a pass to Law who carried it into the corner. Her centering pass found freshman Jennie Gallo in front of the net and Gallo went five hole to pull one back for Maine. The goal was scored 19 seconds after Boal's goal. Maine wasn't done. Sophomore Elyce Thomas took a long pass from Ouellette into the attack zone and shot a lazer from just inside the blue line into the back of the net to make it 4-3. Maine got a power play with 1:44 remaining and pulled their goalie to make it a six-on-four. But it was to no avail as Wayne State was able to hold on. The Warriors outshot the Black Bears in the final period 17-9.
Maine goaltender Sarah Bishop totalled 35 saves in the game. Wayne State goaltender Valery Turcotte tallied 21 saves. Bishop fell to 0-6-0 on the season while Turcotte went to 5-4-1. Maine was 1-for-5 on the powerplay while Wayne State went 1-for-8.
Maine returns home next weekend when they face Northeastern University on the 20th for a Hockey East matchup. The puck drops at 3pm at Alfond Arena.