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Issued: November 28, 2007

WOMEN’S HOCKEY TO HOST UNFAMILIAR FOE

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The UW-Eau Claire women’s hockey team will return to action on Friday, after a ten day layoff over the holiday break, when they host Adrian College (Mich.) for the first time in program history. The Blugolds will enter the weekend series with a record of 5-2 thanks in large part to their current four game winning streak. During the winning streak the Blugolds have outscored their opponents 10-2 while outshooting those same opponents 165-66.

However, as impressive as the winning streak and the statistics that go along with it are the Blugolds will be tested this week by a solid team from Adrian College. The Bulldogs are 7-3 on the season and have received seven votes in the most recent USCHO Division III poll. If that does not say enough about this talented group, they just split a weekend series with a very tough UW-Superior Team.

This weekend will provide a great opportunity for a young Blugold team to prove that it belongs with some of the top teams in the nation. So far on the young season, the Blugolds have been led in scoring by two freshmen Christine Dickinson (Fr.-Layton, UT/Shattuck St. Mary's) and Kristine Faber (Fr.-Austin, MN). Both Dickinson and Faber have four points each. Dickinson’s four points come from a team leading three goals and one assist, and Faber’s four points are a result of two goals and two assists. Behind those two are 6 other Blugolds who are tied with 3 points as the team has had a very balanced scoring attack this season.

In net the Blugolds have two freshmen goalies to chose from in Danika Porter (Fr.-Rosemount, MN/South St. Paul) and Lindsay Savat (Fr.-Apple Valley, MN/Thomas Jefferson). Porter has seen a majority of the playing time this season as she has started five of the seven games for the Blugolds. In her five starts, Porter is 3-2 with a goals against average of 1.21 and save percentage of .922. Although she has only started two games, Savat has been more than effective in those two games only allowing one goal while posting a record of 2-0. Both Porter and Savat have one shutout apiece.

On special teams, the Blugolds appear to have the edge statically having only allowed one power play goal on 38 penalty kill attempts. The Blugolds have also converted on the power play themselves at a stunning 24 percent clip.

On the other side of the ice, the Bulldogs will skate into town with an away record of 2-2, the nation’s 11th highest scoring offense, and one of the nation’s leading scorers Stacey Kempson. Kempson, a freshman, has six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in the ten games the Bulldogs have played. Kempson is not the sole leader of the Adrian offense as her freshmen teammates Steph Dimini and Keegan Castrillo both are amongst the nation’s leading scorers as well.

In net the Bulldogs have relied heavily on two goaltenders. Dana Timm has started five games for the Bulldogs and is 3-2, and Ashley Kavanagh has started four games while going 3-1.

On special teams, the Bulldogs have a penalty kill percentage of 87 percent and score on the power play 16 percent of the time.

The Action is set to start this weekend at 7:00 p.m. Friday night at Hobbs Ice Arena. The two teams will conclude the weekend series at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

- TT -

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