The Boston University women’s ice hockey team locked up the program’s first ever season sweep of the University of Maine when it followed a 5-2 win Saturday with a 5-1 victory Sunday at Maine’s Alfond Arena.
Senior captain Gina Kearns made her presence felt over the weekend, ripping three goals into the net in the series. Kearns leads the team with 11 goals.
BU’s (11-7-5, 8-4-0 Hockey East) key players stepped up their game over the weekend, as junior Jonnie Bloemers and sophomore Holly Lorms were very productive for the Terriers on Saturday. Bloemers had a two-goal performance, while Lorms earned her first career three-point game with a goal and two assists.
‘If we’re going to generate depth, we need to get them going,’ BU coach Brian Durocher said of Lorms and Bloemers. ‘It’s nice to see them getting on the board.’
Junior Sarah Appleton was equally impressive Sunday, topping her personal best performance with three assists.’ ‘
The Terriers needed a win coming into this weekend’s matchups against the Black Bears (4-17-2, 1-9-1). Back-to-back upset losses to Northeastern University and the University of Connecticut sent BU tumbling out of the national rankings. The losses were part of a three-game run of Hockey East shutouts for the Terriers, starting with the loss to then-No. 9 Boston College, 5-0, on Dec. 10.’ ‘
The Terriers and Durocher looked to turn their momentum around with the Maine series. Earlier in the season, BU defeated the Black Bears in a blowout, 8-1. However, Durocher was not taking any chances.
‘That wasn’t indicative of Maine,’ Durocher said of the one-sided victory. ‘There was definitely apprehension about this game.’
Kearns started the Terriers’ offensive output on Saturday, scoring off of assists by seniors Laurel Koller and Amanda Shaw 1:39 into the first period. After Koller was turned away by senior goaltender Genevieve Turgeon, Kearns found the puck on her stick and slammed the rebound into the net.
The Terriers went scoreless for the rest of the period and into the second. But halfway through the second period, BU remembered how to score again. After Lorms won a faceoff near Maine’s net, she sent the puck to Bloemers at the edge of the circle. She then hammered the puck home for her first goal of the night. Lorms and junior Mellissa Anderson extended the Terrier lead in the final minutes of the second with a goal apiece.
With BU up 4-0, the Black Bears rallied with about a minute to go in the second as junior Jenna Ouellette knocked in the puck to narrow the Terriers’ lead. Junior Jessica Bond scored on a two-man advantage to make it a two-goal game.
However, Bloemers secured the win with her second goal at 14:49 of the third with assists by Lorms and senior Erin Seman.’ ‘ ‘ ‘
Through most of the first period of Sunday’s contest, it did not look like the game would be much of an offensive show for the Terriers. But on a two-man advantage late in the period, Kearns started the scoring with a goal on assists by Appleton and sophomore Jillian Kirchner. BU would not relinquish that lead for the rest of the night.
Senior Sarah Russell followed up Kearns’ goal with another early in the second period. Freshman Jenelle Kohanchuk and sophomore Lauren Cherewyk helped the effort with a goal each. Kearns added her second goal of the night late in the third period, assisted by Lorms.
Junior goaltender Melissa Haber was well-supported by the Terriers’ defense, facing just 16 shots on goal from the Black Bears for the entire game.
Sophomore Jennie Gallo had Maine’s only goal of the night, scoring on a power play in the second period. Turgeon had 30 saves, but was unable to save her team from its fourth straight loss.
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