Sioux Back On Track, Sweep Union

Behind another 4-point weekend from Senior Asst. Captain Melissa Jaques, the UND women's hockey team swept Union College 3-0 and 4-1. It was the first ever meeting between the two programs. Friday, Marie-Michelle Poireier scored her 2nd goal of the year, Melissa Jaques potted her 4th and 5th goals of the season and goaltender Brittany Kirkham stopped 9 shots. UND fired 44 of their own on Union netminder Lundy Day enroute to their 4th win of the season.

On Saturday it was Jaques assisting on Sara Dagenais' 4th and 5th goals of the year while Alyssa Wiebe and Marie-Michelle Poireier each added a goal and an assist to help UND to a 4-1 win. UND finished the game out-shooting Union 42-16. The game was scoreless well into the 2nd period until Wiebe got UND on the board first with a great wrist shot from the mid-slot off a pass from Poirier streaking down the left-wing. Union's Jackei Koettritz would tie it up on the power play with a top-shelf bullet passed UND goaltender Stephanie Ney. Poirier would give UND the lead for good with a power play goal of her own 1:23 into the 3rd period off a nifty feed from sophomore Stephanie Roy. Dagenais would add 2 goals of her own scoring an even-strength goal at 6:53 and adding one on the power play with 17:53 remaining.

A Program First
By virtue of their second series sweep this past weekend over Union College, the UND women's hockey team accomplished something it hasn't done since 2005-2006. Win at least 5 games in a season. UND's record after 8 games thus far is 5-2-1 and is off to it's best start in program history. UND could very well be 8-0 had it not been for 1-goal loss to Maine and an overtime loss and tie to MSU-Mankato. UND certainly played well enough to win all three of those games.

Union Game Notes
Junior goaltender Brittany Kirkham recorded her 1st shutout of the season and 6th of her career.

Melissa Jaques has 15 points in 8 games. Jaques is 7 points shy of her point toal from last year of 22.

UND was short staffed this weekend and down to 3 lines plus an extra forward and 6 defenseman. Injuries to Junior Ashley Paulson, Sophomore Nikki Hebert and Freshman Kelsey Ketcher kept them out of action.