Boston University
#1 Harvard - Beanpot Final
Terriers Fall to No. 1 Harvard in Beanpot Championship
February 12, 2008 | Women's Ice Hockey
Feb. 12, 2008
BOSTON - The Boston University women's ice hockey team lost a physical battle against No. 1 Harvard Tuesday night, falling 3-1 in the Beanpot championship. Sophomore Jonnie Bloemers scored the lone goal for the Terriers, marking her second consecutive Beanpot game with a goal and fourth-straight game in the tournament with a point, dating back to 2007.
Junior Sarah Wilson was awarded the tournament MVP award, after totaling one goal and two assists in two games, including a goal and an assist in the championship. Sophomore Christina Kessler earned the Bertagna Award for her work between the pipes, with a combined 37 saves in two games and only two goals allowed.
Boston University (12-13-3, 8-6-0 HE) staunchly defended its zone, blocking 18 shots on the night while junior Allyse Wilcox made 34 saves between the pipes. However, the relentless Harvard (23-1-0, 18-0-0 ECAC) offense pounded the goal, serving up 37 shots on target.
The loss halts a four game winning streak for the Terriers, during which the team surrendered only three goals. Wilcox had not allowed a goal in either of her previous two games before three Crimson shots snuck by her in the Beanpot championship.
Freshman Liza Ryabkina opened the evening's scoring at 3:24 of the first period. Sophomore Anna McDonald fired a shot on goal that missed wide, but Wilson corralled the puck behind the net and sent a crossing pass to Ryabkina. The freshman then lifted a shot past Wilcox and into goal.
With about five minutes left in the first period, junior Amanda Shaw had the chance to tie up the score, as she evaded a Crimson defender and crossed the crease in a one-on-one match-up with the goaltender. Shaw launched her shot on the netminder's glove side, but Kessler adeptly made the save by snatching up the shot with her glove.
Harvard built its lead to two goals just 25 seconds into the second period, as senior Caitlin Cahow scored a power-play goal off assists from juniors Jenny Brine and Sarah Vaillancourt.
The Terriers fought back, crashing the net with vigor until it paid dividends. At 3:34 of the second period, with BU on the power play, sophomore Sarah Appleton blasted a shot at Kessler that bounded off her pads. Both freshmen Jillian Kirchner and Lauren Cherewky attempted to net the puck, but after their attempts failed Bloemers sent her chance home to cut the Harvard lead to one.
Wilson's score at 8:03 of the second period build the lead back up to two goals and served as the game's final score. After cradling a pass from McDonald, Wilson skated in towards the crease and fired a shot off Wilcox. Wilson recovered the rebound and placed another shot on goal, this time getting past the netminder.
The Terriers cling to a three-point lead over Boston College in the Hockey East standings, retaining the fourth spot in the conference with only six games left and the top four teams advancing to the playoffs. All three of BU's remaining games are against conference opponents, with home-and-home series against No. 8 Connecticut, Boston College and Northeastern.
The home-and-home series against Connecticut begins Saturday, when the Terriers head to Storrs for a 1:00 p.m. meeting, followed by a 3:00 p.m. match-up Sunday at Walter Brown Arena.
