By Jim Rueda
Free Press Sports Editor
ST PETER —
For virtually all of the 2009-2010 women’s hockey season, Gustavus Adolphus relied on its speed and pressure to overwhelm opponents and build a 21-4-2 record.
When the Gusties reached the final four of the NCAA Division III championships, however, they found those strengths neutralized by east coast teams who were just as quick and could bring the pressure right back. It showed in Gustavus’ 4-0 loss to eventual national champion Amherst Friday night and again in a 4-1 loss to Elmira in Saturday’s third-place game.
“We didn’t play up to our potential this weekend,” Gustavus coach Mike Carroll said afterward. “We could have had a better showing. I’m second-guessing myself a little bit because the season was a long grind and I sort of backed off a little bit in practice this week.”
As has been the Gusties’ style all year, they came out flying in the first period. Second-ranked Elmira stayed right with them, however, and while neither team scored in the opening 20 minutes, both teams had quality chances.
“I think we were a little loose defensively in the first period,” Elmira coach Greg Fargo said. “We made some adjustments and tightened things up a little bit after that.”
Elmira opened things up in the second period when Amber Tirri scored a 12-footer from a near-impossible angle on the goal line which went over goalie Emily Klatt’s right shoulder and into the opposite corner of the net. The score came at the 2:43 mark.
Five minutes later, Elmira’s Lauryn DePaul took advantage of a pile-up in front to pick up a loose puck between the circles and slammed a shot which never left the ice past Klatt’s stick side.
“The goal did give us a little bit of breathing room but we know you can’t let up,” DePaul said afterward. “We had to stay aggressive and keep trying to score.”
Slightly more than a minute after DePaul’s goal, teammate Caitlin Metcalf made it a 3-0 game when she took a shot from the right circle that slowly bounced through traffic and dribbled in behind Klatt.
The Gusties scored their first and only goal of the tournament with less than nine minutes to play in the period. Immediately after going on a power play, the puck popped out from the initial faceoff and Allie Schwab snapped it in before goalie Lauren Sullivan could react.
The score remained the same for most of the third period. Gustavus coach Mike Carroll pulled Klatt with 3:52 left in the game and, while the Gusties put some excellent pressure on Sullivan, they were unable to find the net again.
The Soaring Eagles added another insurance tally off the stick of Alexandra Bresler who scored a power-play goal from the right circle with under two minutes left.
Gustavus outshot Elmira 31-26. Klatt, who had not started a game since Feb. 13 because the Gusties decided to go with Danielle Justice in goal down the stretch, finished with 22 saves.
Elmira finishes 24-5-1 and Gustavus closes out at 22-6-2.
After getting outscored 8-1 in two tournament games, Carroll was asked if he felt his regular-season prepared the Gusties well enough for championship weekend. He replied with an emphatic yes.
“I definitely thing it was,” he said. “Our conference was very tough this year and the Wisconsin league has improved a lot the last couple of seasons.
“I no longer see this as an East-West thing. We had a tough regular season; we just didn’t play up to our potential.”
Gustavus Adolphus 0 1 0 - 1
Elmira 0 3 1 - 4
First Period
Penalties - Tam Meuwissen, GAC (checking) 3:08; Kirstin Peterson, GAC (checking) 19:07.
Second Period
1, ELM, Amber Tirri (Carly Richardson) 2:43. 2, ELM, Lauryn DePaul (Amanda Ritzel, Caitlin Manahan) 7:23. 3, ELM, Caitlin Metcalf (Tiffany Hart, Alexandra Bresler) 8:38. 4, GAC, Allie Schwab (Melissa Mackley) 11:30 (pp).
Penalties - Allie Schwab, GAC (tripping) 4:19; Tiffany Hart, ELM (elbowing) 11:24; Caitlin Metcalf, ELM (hooking) 11:51; Lauryn DePaul, ELM (tripping) 14:57; Jamie Kivi, ELM (interference) 18:53.
Third Period
5, ELM, Alexandra Bresler (Madison Johnston, Jamie Kivi) 18:03 (pp).
Penalties - Lindsey Hjelm, GAC (tripping) 17:46; Lindsay Mitchell, ELM (cross-checking) 19:08.
SUMMARY
Shots on goal: GAC 6-15-10 31; ELM 6-14-6 26. Power plays: GAC 1 of 5; ELM 1 of 4; Penalties - GAC 4 (8 min); ELM 5 (10 min); Goalies - GAC, Emily Klatt (57:28 minutes, 26 shots-22 saves), EMPTY NET (02:32, 0-0); ELM, Lauren Sullivan (60:00, 31-30).
Attendance 461.
Referee: Richard Zanetti Linesman:Jamie Olsen; Mark VanGuilder.
