Foresters Defeat Finlandia 6-1 in Opener of O'Brien Cup Quarterfinal Series

Foresters Defeat Finlandia 6-1 in Opener of O'Brien Cup Quarterfinal Series

The Lake Forest College women's hockey team hosted and defeated Finlandia University 6-1 to begin the teams' two-game Northern Collegiate Hockey Association O'Brien Cup quarterfinal series. The Foresters, ranked seventh in the nation, are now 18-2-4 on the season while the Lions fell to 5-20-1.

Forester freshman Rosy Fujimoto (Wasilla, Alaska/Team Alaska) started the scoring with an unassisted goal, her eighth score of the season, with 4:21 remaining in the opening period. Sophomore Kim Herring (Dover, N.H./Groton School) then converted a power play opportunity at the 16:58 mark with junior Melissa Kravich (Wilmette, Ill./Gustavus Adolphus College) earning the assist. Lake Forest out-shot its guests 15-3 in the period and led 2-0 after 20 minutes of play.

Finlandia closed to within a goal at the 10:33 mark of the second period but senior Jamie Sauer's (Eagle River, Wis./Northland Pines H.S.) second goal of the season at 17:55 regained the two-goal advantage for the Foresters. She was assisted by sophomore Jessica Dare. The home team put 17 shots on goal in the period, compared to six for the Lions.

Herring scored again on the power play at the 6:43 mark of the third period and completed the hat trick with her 28th goal of the season at 11:20. Junior Lynn Switaj (Avon Lake, Ohio/Ohio Flames) assisted on both of Herring's third period tallies. Dare finished off the scoring with a power play goal at 12:54. Sophomore Mira Trebilcock (South Porcupine, Ontario/Trinity College School) and freshman Angie Chronis (Ann Arbor, Mich./Victory Honda) assisted on Dare's 14th goal of the season. The Foresters out-shot the Lions 16-5 in the final period.

Lake Forest junior goaltender Alyssa Wintermute (Belmont, Ontario/St. Thomas Panthers) stopped 13 of 14 shots on goal and raised her career record in the quarterfinal round of the NCHA playoffs to 3-0-0.

Lake Forest will host Finlandia again at 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. A tie or a Forester victory would give them the right to host the O'Brien Cup semifinals and final next weekend (March 5-7). Finlandia would need a victory at 2:00 and another win in the resulting 20-minute mini-game to advance to the semifinals.