For their final regular season game, the women’s hockey team was supposed to compete against American University, but American forfeited the game, giving West Chester a 1-0 win. This allowed West Chester to take the No. 3 seed in the division and earn a spot in the championship rounds that began last Friday in Hagerstown, Md.
After Delaware University and California University of Pennsylvania fought against each other in the first round game, West Chester took on Slippery Rock University for more first round action. West Chester beat Slippery Rock 3-1 earning a spot in the Division Championship game.
West Chester started off strong against Slippery Rock by out-shooting them 10-2 within the first eight minutes of play. West Chester’s persistence at the net paid off when forward Becky Dobson scored the first goal unassisted.
West Chester continued to out-shoot Slippery Rock for the rest of the period, but neither team scored.
Dobson was at the net again at the start of the second period, as she scored again less than four minutes in, assisted by teammate Liz Petry.
West Chester was given more opportunities from Slippery Rock, who took a few penalties, but West Chester didn’t score again until the middle of the period, this time while Slippery Rock was on the power play. Despite being on the penalty kill, Dobson managed to get through Slippery Rock’s defense with an unassisted short-handed goal.
Down by three goals, Slippery Rock knew they had to step up their game in the last period. West Chester was not letting up with shooting at the net, and trying to get another goal.
Slippery Rock kept pushing and did finally get through West Chester’s goaltender Aly Golia late in the period. With only two minutes left, the late break was not enough for a comeback.
The 3-1 victory against Slippery Rock in the first round game led West Chester to play California University of Pennsylvania in the Division Game Saturday Night.
The game started well for West Chester with an early power play, but Cal U was quick on the penalty kill. West Chester was determined and Dobson delivered again in this game by scoring the first goal unassisted.
West Chester was able to keep Cal U out of their zone, but they struggled to score a second goal. Late in the period Cal U had the opportunity to score during a man advantage after Petry was called for interference minor. West Chester was also quick on the penalty kill and the period ended with a one-goal lead for West Chester.
West Chester’s defenseman Amanda Vito wasted no time in the second period when she scored assisted by Daria Carzo and Karine Thibault to increase the team’s lead by two. The goal was scored after less than a minute of play had occurred.
West Chester continued to shoot at Cal U’s net, and kept the puck out of the net for the next four minutes. It was then that Vito scored once again with Thibault getting the assist.
Cal U did get their fair amount of shots on goal during the period, but they were not getting pucks past West Chester’s wall of defense and goaltender Golia kept pace with the action on the ice.
Despite being short-handed after Virlen Reyes was put into the penalty box for tripping, West Chester defense remained a dominating force and maintained their 3-0 lead into the third period.
Again West Chester was quick on the attack when Thibault scored within the first two minutes of the period.
Things were getting heated on the ice at the ten-minute mark when Carzo went into the box for a roughing minor. This gave Cal U a power play opportunity, and they took it when forward Dana Bowersox scored, breaking Golia’s shutout game.
Cal U was desperate for another goal, but West Chester dashed their hopes when defenseman Brittany Dalziel scored a fifth goal on an empty net.
This gave West Chester a 5-1 victory and led them to the DVCHC Division Championship game.
Deanna Vasso is a fourth-year student majoring in English with a minor in creative writing. She can be reached at DV670502@wcupa.edu.
*The DVCHC Championship game was played Sunday after this issue was printed. The score can be found at www.dvchchockey.org.