WAKEFIELD HAS SIX-POINT GAME TO LEAD BOSTON UNIVERSITY PAST VERMONT, 6-2
Senior forward Jenn Wakefield posts three goals and three assists for Terriers

Senior Jenn Wakefield had three goals and three assists for the Terriers

BOSTON - Senior captain Jenn Wakefield notched her first collegiate hat trick and added three assists to pace the Boston University women's hockey team past Vermont, 6-2, on Saturday afternoon at Walter Brown Arena.

Wakefield factored on every goal to bring her point total to 34 (15g, 19a), which is one behind the league leader. Her six points was a single-game career high. She was not the only Terrier to record multiple points, as senior Kasey Boucher (2a), junior Jill Cardella (1g, 1a), freshman Kayla Tutino (1g, 1a) and senior Tara Watchorn (2a) also accomplished that feat.

BU (12-12-1, 7-7-0 WHEA) wasted little time opening its scoring account, as the Terriers cashed in just 1:33 into the proceedings. Wakefield sent a shot from the left circle that slid under Roxanne Douville's pads and into the back of the net. Tutino and Boucher were credited with assists

Less than two minutes later, it was Cardella's turn to light the lamp. Wakefield got the puck from Boucher and eventually found herself at the left circle. As Cardella skated between the circles, Wakefield fed her a pretty pass that Cardella knocked home for her sixth goal of the season.

Vermont (3-14-6, 2-8-2 WHEA) called timeout after the Cardella goal and seemed to settle into its game. The Catamounts were finally rewarded for their efforts at the 17:09 mark of the first frame. Danielle Rancourt intercepted a pass at the top of the zone and sent a shot past sophomore goaltender Kerrin Sperry (20 saves) for her first collegiate goal.

The Catamounts then tied the game in the second period on a power play. Sophomore defenseman Kaleigh Fratkin got unlucky when her stick broke as she attempted to clear the zone. Klara Myren retrieved the puck and skated to the right faceoff dot, where she feathered a pass to Chelsea Rapin, who redirected it past Sperry.

Wakefield regained the lead for the Terriers on a power play of their own. Off a faceoff, Watchorn passed it across the top of the offensive zone to Carly Warren, who fed Wakefield in the right circle. The senior forward blasted the puck past Douville to make it a 3-2 game.

Then, at the 12:46 mark of the second stanza, Tutino used a highlight reel goal to make it a 4-2 game. Wakefield won a faceoff just outside the Vermont zone and got the puck to Tutino. The rookie forward dangled around a defenseman and slid a backhander just inside the left post for her 13th goal of the season.

The scoring continued for BU in a penalty-plagued third period, as the two sides took a combined nine penalties in the closing session. The Terriers capitalized on another power play at the 7:42 juncture of the third. Junior forward Isabel Menard rifled a shot from the top of the zone to score her 10th goal of the season, with assists to Wakefield and Watchorn.

Just under two minutes later it was Wakefield's turn to complete her hat trick. Freshman forward Sarah Bayersdorfer got Wakefield the puck below the goal line and the Pickering, Ont., native did not miss for her team-best 19th strike of the season.

The BU penalty killers were excellent throughout the game, as the Terriers held Vermont to just 1-of-10 with the player advantage. The defense also kept Vermont from generating many scoring chances, as the Catamounts collected just 22 shots over the course of the contest.

BU will look to win its second straight game when the Terriers host No. 4/5 Boston College on Wednesday night at Walter Brown Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.