In particular, Mercyhurst’s Desirae Clark rewrote the record books for goaltenders in the NCAA championship tournament. She notched 78 saves over the almost six periods of play, demolishing the previous high of 51.
“She gives us a chance every night,” Sisti said.
“Clark is an amazing goalie, so straight-on shots aren’t going to beat her,” Corriero said.
Harvard junior Ali Boe followed up her career-best performance last Sunday against Dartmouth by posting a new high of 56 against Mercyhurst.
“We came in flurries and she made some key saves when she had to,” Sisti said of Boe. “Obviously, I don’t think they got this far without quality goaltending.”
The combined 134 saves from the pair of goalies smashed the previous high of 85 by two teams in one game.
On the ice, Nicole Corriero continued to add to her unbelievable season with four more goals on Saturday. Her season total—and record high of goals for a season—now stands at 58 with two more games to play, within one of the college hockey record for men and women set by Michigan State’s Mike Donnelly in 1986.
DO OR DIE
On Saturday, Mercyhurst pushed Harvard to the limit before the Crimson righted its ship and prevented the upset.
A day earlier, an even bigger surprise hit the women’s college hockey world as St. Lawrence went into Duluth’s rink and came away with a shocking 3-2 overtime win.
The Saints were the first team to register an upset in the NCAA tournament back in 2001, and followed in the same form Friday when forward Emilie Berlinguette beat Bulldogs netminder Riitta Schaublin top shelf just over 11 minutes into the extra frame.
“One thing I give [St. Lawrence head coach Paul Flanagan] and his team credit for is that they found ways to win a lot of games this year,” Sisti said. “Sometimes that’s leadership, sometimes that’s luck.”
Berlinguette scored twice for St. Lawrence, while goaltender Jessica Moffat registered a career-high 42 saves.
For Duluth, Patty Kazmaier finalist Caroline Ouellette scored once and notched an assist in the losing effort.
In nearby Minneapolis, Minnesota proved why it was deserving of the No. 1 seed by easily beating Providence 6-1. In the night’s biggest surprise, neither Krissy Wendell nor Natalie Darwitz—who rounded out the final three nominations for the Patty Kazmaier—scored for the Golden Gophers. Instead both senior Kelly Stephens and freshman Bobbi Ross put two into the net.
For the Friars, Katelynn Laffin scored the game’s first goal before Minnesota took over.
The final game of the weekend pitted fourth-seeded Dartmouth against fifth-seeded Wisconsin. The contest went back and forth until the Big Green’s Katie Weatherston registered her second goal of the game 15 minutes into the third period. Dartmouth held on from there to take the quarterfinal contest, 4-3.
Next Friday, the Big Green will face the Golden Gophers in the other semifinal of the Frozen Four.
—Staff writer Gabriel M. Velez can be reached at gmvelez@fas.harvard.edu.