Senior forward Melissa Paluch became just the third player in program history to record 100 career points on Friday as the Forester women's hockey team prevailed 6-1 at Finlandia University.
Paluch, the program's career leader in assists with 55, scored the only goal of Friday night's opening period at the 11:59 mark. Her 11th career power play score was assisted by sophomore forward Leah Ebdon and senior defenseman Alex Stensland and moved her into a tie for eighth place in team history in that category. The Foresters out-shot Finlandia 16-0 in the game's first 20 minutes but led by just one at intermission.
Lake Forest had a 12-4 advantage in shots on goal in the second but still scored just one goal in the period. Senior forward Michelle Greeneway lit the lamp for the team-high 12th time this season at 10:42 with assists credited to sophomore forward Olivia Spellmire and defenseman Caroline Campbell.
Paluch scored her second goal of the night, eighth this season, and 45th of her career at the 5:45 mark of the third. Spellmire and sophomore defenseman Melissa Bodine assisted on the milestone score and Paluch was given the puck afterwards.
Forester sophomore forward Amanda Brunges scored the game's next two goals. The first was assisted by Ebdon at 9:28 and the second by Greeneway and Spellmire at 12:23. Brunges then finished off her second two-goal, one-assist game of the year by combining with Ebdon to set up a score by Spellmire at 15:48. Spellmire's seventh goal of the season gave her a career-high four points on the night and 13 in her last five games.
Lake Forest put 14 shots on goal to the Lions' three in the final period but the home team finally got on the scoreboard with 2:57 on the clock. Forester freshman goaltender Abby Cooper needed to make just six saves to improve to 3-0-1 on the year.
The Foresters' 9-0-1 record is the best mark through 10 games in program history and Lake Forest, the fifth-ranked team in the nation, is now 7-0-0 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play. Finlandia fell to 0-8-0 overall and 0-6-0 in the league.
The same two teams will face off again Saturday at 3:00 p.m. (EST)