The Forester women's hockey team defeated Marian University 5-0 Saturday to finish off a two-game sweep of the Sabres in the quarterfinal round of the 2022 Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Slaats Cup Playoffs.
Senior defenseman Olyvia Opsahl started off the scoring with a power play goal at the 15:32 mark of the opening period. She took the puck away near mid-ice and skated around a Marian player before firing a shot past the goalie from the left face-off dot. Opsahl has now scored in six consecutive contests and accounted for the official game-winner in four of the them. Her season goal total now stands at nine.
Freshman defenseman Sophia Chapman doubled the home team's advantage at the 11:59 mark of the second period. It was the second of three power play goals for the Foresters and came from point blank range after a shot from junior forward Marissa Gebauer was stopped by the Marian goaltender, who also stopped a rebound attempt by junior defenseman Karya Dean before surrendering Chapman's third goal of the year.
Another rebound goal made the score 3-0 in favor of the home team at the 5:22 mark of the final period. Chapman's shot from just inside the blue line was saved but senior forward Emelia Edmondson was there to send the loose puck into the net for her sixth score of the season. Senior forward Abigail Tucci was also credited with an assist on the play.
The Foresters' fourth goal of the afternoon was the first in the career of junior forward Caglia Celik, who was there to put in another rebound goal with 1:35 remaining. Sophomore forward Caitlyn Dahut's cross-ice pass was received by Opsahl and her shot from close range was stopped but not secured by the Sabre goalie.
Senior defenseman Megan Truman closed out the scoring with a blast from just inside the blue line with 21.6 seconds on the clock. Tucci and senior forward Grace Black assisted on the third power play goal of the day. Truman now has three scores this season.
Lake Forest put 59 shots on goal and junior goaltender Hannah Turnage turned away all 17 from the visitors for her third career shutout. She now owns a .936 save percentage and 1.89 goals against average on the year.
The Foresters improved to 15-9-0 while Marian's season ends at 7-18-2.
Lake Forest will take on St. Norbert College in the Slaats Cup semifinals next Friday afternoon at 2:00. The game will be played at league champion Adrian College, which will host Aurora University in the other semifinal. The winner will face off Saturday at 2:00 p.m. with the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament on the line.
