BOSTON - Junior Jenn Wakefield scored two goals, including an empty-netter with 12 seconds left, as the No. 3 Boston University women's ice hockey team advanced to its first-ever Frozen Four with a 4-2 win over Mercyhurst at Walter Brown Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Freshman Marie-Philip and sophomore Jill Cardella also scored for the BU, while eight different Terriers registered at least one point. Freshman netminder Kerrin Sperry matched a career high with 30 saves.
The Terriers were 0-for-3 on the power play, while Mercyhurst was 1-for-1 with the player advantage. BU was outshot by the Lakers by a 32-22 margin.
Wakefield, who extended her goal scoring streak to nine games, gave the Terriers a 1-0 lead at 11:52 of the first period. Junior Kasey Boucher passed to senior Jillian Kirchner near the BU defensive blue line, where she fed Wakefield through the neutral zone. The Pickering, Ont., native dragged the puck around a Mercyhurst defender, moved it to her backhand and slid the puck in for the goal.
With 3:57 remaining in the period, Mercyhurst's Meghan Agosta evened the game. During a scramble in front of the net, Jesse Scanzano fed Agosta in the slot, where she wristed a shot for the goal.
In the second frame, Poulin skated the Terriers to a 2-1 advantage at 8:16. Along the left-wing boards, Cardella passed to junior Jenelle Kohanchuk, who fed Poulin in the slot. The freshman skated to the bottom of the right circle and wristed a shot past Mercyhurst goaltender Hillary Pattenden.
With the Lakers on the power play, Agosta notched her second of the contest to tie the game, 2-2. She collected the puck at the blue line and wristed a shot high to the glove side with 11:44 left in the stanza.
Cardella netted the game-winner just 1:50 later. Sophomore Kathryn Miller passed to junior Tara Watchorn along the blue line, who rifled a slap shot. Cardella, who was stationed in front of the net, redirected the puck through Pattenden's legs.
With 12 seconds remaining in the contest, Wakefield scored her second of the game when she deposited the puck into the open net.
BU will return to action on Friday (March 18) when they play No. 2 Cornell in the NCAA semifinals. Opening faceoff at Tullio Arena, home to the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, is scheduled at 5 or 8 p.m.