Women's Hockey 1/15/05 -- Augsburg (Minn.) 3, Amherst (Mass.) 2

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (1/15/05) -- Laura Prasek (Sr., Fridley, Minn.) scored two power-play goals, including the eventual game-winning goal early in the third period, as Augsburg College claimed a 3-2 nonconference women's hockey victory over Amherst College (Mass.) on Saturday afternoon at the Augsburg Ice Arena.

Prasek put the Auggies in front to stay on a power-play goal from Stacy Anderson (So., Lafayette, Calif./Marina HS) and Jackie Keller (Fr., Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City West HS) at the 17:55 mark of the first period, then added to the lead with a power-play goal from Brittney LeBlanc (Fr., Ramsey, Minn./Anoka HS) and Melynda Kleewein (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska/Dimond HS) 75 seconds into the third period.

Augsburg claimed its second win in a row, and fourth in its last five games, to improve to 8-4-2 overall.

Renee Sisti (Jr., Coventry, Conn./Pomfret School) scored both goals for Amherst, now 3-5-3 overall. Amherst, a school from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), is on a two-game trip to Minnesota this weekend. The Lord Jeffs will play another Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school, St. Thomas, on Monday (1/17) at 7 p.m.

Augsburg claimed the lead halfway through the first period, as Carrie Velenchenko (Sr., Maple Grove, Minn.) notched her third goal in the Auggies' three games this week, a rebound goal on assists from from Jenny Schmidt (Fr., North St. Paul, Minn.) and Jocelyn Cookson (Jr., Edina, Minn./Bloomington Jefferson HS).

But Amherst tied the game at the 15:19 mark of the first frame, as Sisti scored her first goal on a wrist shot from the left side, on assists from Leah Kaplan (Jr., Buffalo, N.Y./Nichols School) and Alena Harrison (So., Westwood, Mass./St. Mark's School).

Augsburg went ahead in the closing minutes of the first period, as Prasek scored her first goal of the game on a rebound from a wide shot by Keller.

Augsburg outshot Amherst by a 36-20 margin, including advantages of 17-7 in the second period and 10-4 in the third period.

Neither team could score in the second period, but each scored quickly after receiving power-play opportunities in the third period. Prasek claimed her second goal of the game at the 1:15 mark, just 16 seconds after an Augsburg power play began, and Sisti scored her second goal of the game, on assists from Amanda Mattei (Jr., Windsor, Conn./Loomis Chaffee HS) and Rachel Simon (So., West Orange, N.J.), at the 5:25 mark, just nine seconds after an Amherst power play started.

Kristin Johnson (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn./Wayzata HS) made 33 saves in goal to claim the win for Augsburg, while Lindsay Grabowski (So., Princeton, N.J./Stuart Country Day School) made 33 saves for Amherst.

Augsburg returns to MIAC action next weekend with a two-game series against St. Benedict. Friday's (1/21) game is at 7:05 p.m. at the Augsburg Ice Arena, and Saturday's (1/22) game is at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Athletic Center in St. Cloud, Minn.