By Kim Peterson
Northeastern did not enter their two-game series with sixth-ranked Wisconsin expecting a weekend getaway, and they also probably didn’t expect to have a 2-1 and 4-2 loss hanging over their heads at the end of it.
There is no denying that a loss is no way to end a weekend series, and few would agree it is a good way to open one. However, despite the big 0 on NU’s opening weekend record, coach Joy Woog is still pleased with what she has seen from this team.
“I thought that we worked very hard,” said Woog. “And I think that we improved from the first minute of the first game to the last minute of the last game.”
No. 9 ranked Northeastern University suffered two losses to No. 6 Wisconsin (2-0), 4-2 on Saturday and 2-1 on Sunday in Verona, Wisconsin. The sweep got Northeastern off to a rocky start this season, putting the team in a 0-2 hole.
On Sunday it looked as if there would be a positive note after the physical thrashing that was Saturday’s game. The Huskies drew first blood with the clock winding down in the first period, as senior Kim Greene took a slapshot from the high slot and gave NU a 1-0 lead at 1:19. Unfortunately for the Huskies, it was all Badgers from that point onward. They out-shot the Huskies by an overwhelming 16-1 margin in the second, yet were unable to finagle past junior goalie Chanda Gunn.
“This weekend is not going to bring us down,” said Gunn, “We are going to learn from it.”
The third and decisive period was one that NU does not want to look back on as they watched their 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 win for Wisconsin. At the 9:06 mark, Badgers defender Nicole Uliasz tied it up and with just minutes left in the game. UW’s Kendra Antony scored the game-winning goal on a power play at 17:48.
Saturday was not much friendlier to the Huskies as they succumbed to Wisconsin in a 4-2 loss. Gunn faced a barrage of shots in the game, and despite a 37-save effort, still received the loss.
“We can only play as hard as we can, we can only go out there and try as hard as we can,” said Gunn. “A good team is one who plays even harder after a loss.”
Wisconsin got on the board early in the first at 6:03 as Steph Boeckmann scored on quick shot after a feed from senior Michelle Sikich. Greene evened the game up with just minutes left in the period on a power play goal at 17:49. Still, Northeastern would be unable to carry the tie into the next period, as UW went ahead 2-1 just seconds later.
NU would once again tie the game up at 8:52 after a turnover left sophomore Lori DiGiacomo open for the score. Again, the tie would not hold, as Wisconsin went on to score two more goals at 9:45 of the second and 12:24 of the third.
“It was 3-2 in the third and we just couldn’t keep up physically,” said Woog. “We just died from being in the box.”
This weekend series proved one very important thing about the Huskies. This is a team that can win; both games were close and despite being absurdly out-shot by the opposition, NU was still in both of the games. The weekend was lost due to third period goals, a trait consistent of young teams.
“I think that this team is really going places. Every period, every game, this team wants to win, and the freshmen, they really want it too.”
The Huskies take on Vermont this coming weekend, on Sunday, Sept. 20th.
“Vermont is going to give us 60 minutes of hockey where we have the opportunity to come together as a team,” Gunn said.
