No. 1 Wisconsin Too Much for No. 8 Dartmouth in NCAA Quarterfinals

Saturday, March 14

Madison, Wis. (Kohl Center)

1:00 CST/2:00 EST

Dartmouth College

Wisconsin

No. 1 Wisconsin Too Much for No. 8 Dartmouth in NCAA Quarterfinals

3/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Ice Hockey

By: Dartmouth

Box Score

MADISON, Wis. ? The Dartmouth women's hockey team outshot top-ranked Wisconsin, but the Badgers scored in every area of the game and came away with a 7-0 win over the Big Green in the NCAA Quarterfinals at the Kohl Center.

For Dartmouth (20-10-4), senior netminder Carli Clemis (Taber, Alta.) faced an attack that averaged five goals a game this season and she pushed aside 21 shots in the defeat.

For Wisconsin (32-2-5), Hanover's Hilary Knight proved why she is one of the best players in the nation as she posted two goals and four assists for six points in the win. Linemates Angie Keseley and Erika Lawler joined Knight with Keseley netted a hat trick and two assists for five points, while Lawler had a goal and two assists. Badgers netminder Jessie Vetter recorded her 13th shutout of the season, making a tough 32 saves between the pipes.

Wisconsin broke the ice 3:39 into the period as Keseley tallied her 15th of the season coming on the power play. The Badgers did a nice job moving the puck around the perimeter and Lawler found an open Keseley on a cross-ice hookup. Clemis was able to slide across the crease, but the puck slipped between her pads and into the net to give Wisconsin a 1-0 lead.

The Badgers made it 2-0 with 8:35 remaining in the opening period. Lawler tipped in her 18th goal of the season with the assist going to Knight. Knight circled to the front of the net from the endline and fired a shot from between the circles that Lawler deflected home at the near post.

Kyla Sanders almost gave the Badgers a 3-0 lead with about three minutes remaining in the period. She received a pass in stride at the blueline and went in all alone. She tried a shot to the glove side but Clemis made the save to keep it a 2-0 game.

Dartmouth had its opportunities in the period with multiple shots from the point, but Vetter came as advertised, making each save and only giving up a few big rebounds. Despite falling behind 2-0, the Big Green held their own in the shot department as the Badgers had an 11-10 advantage. Wisconsin capitalized on one of two chances on the power play, while Dartmouth failed on its lone opportunity with the extra skater.

Midway through the second period, Trunzo and Cunningham had a great chance to get the Big Green to within one. Trunzo broke into the Wisconsin zone with Cunningham on a 2-on-1 chance. She slid the puck over to Cunningham, but the junior got the puck stuck in her skates and could not hit the open net.

Wisconsin increased the lead to 3-0 with 10:24 remaining in the second frame. Knight skated into the offense zone and fired a bomb on Clemis and she couldn't stop the hard shot as Dartmouth fell three goals down. Knight continued her dominance with a shorthanded goal two minutes later to make it 4-0. Knight intercepted a Big Green pass at the blueline and skated in all alone on Clemis. She faked the forehand and scored on the backhand.

The Big Green once again could not stay out of the penalty box and with a 5-on-3 advantage against the nation's leading power play Dartmouth could not ask for a worse situation. Keseley netted her second of the afternoon and she skated to the right circle and beat Clemis on the stick side to push the lead up to 5-0.

In the second period, Wisconsin held an 11-9 shot advantage and went 1-of-3 on the power play, while Dartmouth failed on two chances. Despite the score, shots on goal were about even at 22-19 in favor of the Badgers.

Wisconsin added two late third period goals to earn its spot in the 2009 Frozen Four in Boston. Keseley finished off her hat trick, while Brooke Zimmerman added her 26th goal of the season.

Dartmouth did have the shot advantage at 32-28. However, Vetter refused to give up rebounds all afternoon, which was an area where the Big Green was able to put pucks in the net this season.

The power play was another area in which Dartmouth had thrived as of late, but the Badgers killed off all of the Big Green's five opportunities. Wisconsin scored two power play goals in five chances.

The Big Green finish the season with a 20-10-4 mark overall and the 2009 ECAC Hockey Tournament Champions. With the loss, Dartmouth will be saying goodbye to seven seniors. Co-captain Sarah Newnam (Clifton, Va.), co-captain Shannon Bowman (Leamington, Ont.), Maggie Kennedy (West Hartford, Conn.), Julia Bronson (Arlington, Va.), Marley McMillan (St. Paul, Minn.), Katie Gray (Calgary, Alta.) and Carli Clemis (Taber, Alta.) played in their final game this afternoon. The group claimed two ECAC Hockey Tournament titles, an Ivy League and ECAC Regular-Season Championship and three visits to the NCAA Tournament in their four years in a Big Green uniform.