Two goals by North Dakota freshman Cara Wooster just minutes apart ignited a four-goal explosion for the Sioux in a 4-1 win over Minnesota State on Saturday afternoon.
Cara’s twin sister Cami also had a two-point game for North Dakota (6-10-0, 4-9-0 WCHA) against the Mavericks (3-8-4, 3-6-2). Cami assisted on Cara’s first goal, then added one of her own later in the third by tipping junior Jessica Kovacevich’s shot just inside the blue line.
The two, along with their new linemate junior Anne Girtz, have been on a tear for the last three games since being put together. Last weekend, in a road sweep of Quinnipiac, the three accounted for 19 points in the two games, along with the both game-winning goals. The sisters are now first and second in WCHA freshman scoring.
“We’re clicking, we play well together with Girtz, she’s fast and we cycle well,” said Cara Wooster. “It seems to be working so we’ll keep it going.
“We’re forechecking hard and working hard and things seem to be going our way,” said Cami.
With another five points today, the trio now has twenty-four points in three games.
“They’re all about the same size, they all have a set of wheels, and they’ve got some hands,” said UND head coach Shantel Rivard.
The first two periods saw many missed opportunities by the Sioux, most on saves by MSU freshman goalie Brittni Kehler (2-5-1), who stopped 20 in defeat.
MSU got on the board first with a sharp angle shot by freshman Jodi Helminen that UND sophomore goalie Jenna Burdy could not glove. From then on Burdy stood strong making tough saves late in the third period, including a breakaway with 4:30 to go. She finished with 21 saves.
“I went into the game saying play simple and do the little things,” Burdy said.
The Fighting Sioux were a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and even scored a shorthanded goal for the first time this year from Melissa Dianoski. Shantel said that Dianoski sometimes gets better scoring chances on the penalty kill.
The teams rematch Sunday at 2:05 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.
