Women's Hockey 2/23/07 -- Hamline 5, Augsburg 3

BOXSCORE

MINNEAPOLIS (2/23/07) -- Mindy Lein (Jr., Red Wing, Minn.) and Sophie Davidson (Fr., St. Paul, Minn./Johnson HS) had a goal and assist apiece, leading the Hamline University women's hockey team to a 5-3 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory over host Augsburg College on Friday night at the Augsburg Ice Arena.

Three straight goals in the first and second periods gave the Pipers the lead for good, as the visitors improved to 14-8-2 overall, 10-6-1 in MIAC play.

Augsburg (8-12-4 overall, 5-9-3 MIAC) received two goals from Andrea Toft (Fr., Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS) and a goal and assist from Tiffany Magnuson (So., Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy HS).

The teams close the regular season with the finale of the series on Saturday (2/24) at 7:15 p.m. at the Drake Ice Arena in St. Paul.

Augsburg opened the scoring just 31 seconds into the game, as Toft scored from Magnuson and Jackie Keller * (Jr., Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City West HS). But Hamline tied the game at the 1:40 mark, as Davidson scored from Erin Dodor (Fr., Somerset, Wis.).

Hamline scored twice in the second period to take the lead, as Marie Gross (Jr., West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) scored from Lien at the 5:47 mark, and Amanda Finstad (Fr., Waupun, Wis.) scored from center ice on a shorthanded shot, which bounced over the goalie's stick and into the net at the 15:48 mark. Anna Johnson (Fr., Forest Lake, Minn.).

Augsburg cut the lead to 3-2 at the 18:50 mark, as Magnuson scored her 21st goal of the season, assisted by Christina Waller * (So., Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS). Entering Friday's game, Magnuson had the second-most goals of all NCAA Division III women's hockey players, according to Collegehockeystats.net.

The teams exchanged goals in the first minute of the third period, as Lein scored from Johnson for the Pipers at the 46-second mark, and Toft notched her second goal of the game, assisted by Katie Medd (Jr., Mankato, Minn./East HS) and Sara Toft (Fr., Alexandria, Minn./Jefferson HS), just 20 seconds later.

Sara Mickelson (Jr., West St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) closed the scoring at the 10:59 mark, scoring her 10th power-play goal of the season, and 20th goal overall, from Kate Raasch (So., St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) and Davidson. Mickelson is now ranked No. 5 in the nation in goals per game (0.83), and her 10 power-play goals are currently tied for the national lead.

Augsburg outshot Hamline by a 32-31 margin. Crystal Testolin (So., Richardson, Texas/Plano East HS) collected 29 saves to score the win for Hamline, while Augsburg's Toni Menth (Fr., Buffalo, Minn.) made 26 saves in a losing effort.

The teams combined for 21 penalties (Hamline 12, Augsburg 9), including 15 in the third period. Hamline was 1-for-6 on the power-play, while Augsburg was 0-for-9.