Women's Hockey 11/23/04 -- Wisconsin-River Falls 5, Augsburg 3

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (11/23/04) -- Lou Paulson (Jr., Duluth, Minn./Proctor-Hermantown HS) had a three-point night, with two assists and a shorthanded goal to seal the victory, leading the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to a 5-3 victory over host Augsburg College in a nonconference women's hockey game Tuesday night at the Augsburg Ice Arena.

Paulson stole a pass on a 5-on-3 Augsburg power play midway through the third period and skated end to end, beating Augsburg goalie Amanda Bockmann (Fr., Wind Lake, Wis.) for the game-clinching tally.

Kelly Hurley (So., Lakeville, Minn.) had a goal and an assist, and Leah Baron (Jr., Hermantown, Minn./Proctor-Hermantown HS) had two assists for the Falcons, now 6-2-0 on the season. Wisconsin-River Falls is currently ranked No. 10 in the latest U.S. College Hockey Online (www.uscho.com) Division III national poll.

Augsburg, playing its seventh game in an eight-game homestand to start the season, suffered its first loss to fall to 4-1-2 on the season.

Augsburg jumped on the board early, as Brittney LeBlanc (Fr., Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) connected on her first collegiate goal just 1:20 into the first period, deflecting a shot off a River Falls player into the net.

River Falls tied the game at the 3:19 mark of the second period, as Lindsay O'Keefe (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) scored her sixth goal of the season from Paulson. But Augsburg took the lead back just two minutes later, as Jocelyn Cookson (Jr., Edina, Minn./Bloomington Jefferson HS) scored in a scramble off a rebound from Melynda Kleewein (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS) and Lauren Chezick (Sr., Hastings, Minn.).

Jenny Wallace (So., Buffalo, Minn./Wright County HS) tied the game for the Falcons midway through the second period, scoring from Baron and Hurley.

Augsburg took the lead back on the power play at the 15:47 mark, as Carrie Velenchenko (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) scored her second goal of the season from Britt Pennington (Jr., St. Cloud, Minn.) and Chezick.

Chezick's second assist gives her nine on the season and 75 for her career, expanding her school career records for both assists and points (128).

River Falls tied the game on Hurley's sixth goal of the season at the 18:18 mark, on a feed from Baron, and the Falcons got the game-winner just 3:31 into the final frame, as Kristen Juven (Fr., Moorhead, Minn.) scored her first collegiate goal on an assist from Paulson.

Augsburg outshot the Falcons by a 32-29 margin, though the Auggies got half of their shots in the third period, outshooting the Falcons 16-5 in the frame. Marlene Yaeger (Sr., Medina, Minn.) made 29 saves for River Falls, stopping all 16 shots she faced in the third period.

Augsburg's Bockmann made 24 saves in a losing effort.

Augsburg returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play after the Thanksgiving break, with a two-game series against Gustavus Adolphus. Augsburg will host the Gusties on Friday, Dec. 3 at 5:05 p.m., and play at Gustavus on Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7:05 p.m.

Wisconsin-River Falls hosts Lake Forest (Ill.) in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game on Friday, Dec. 3 at 7:05 p.m.