NEW HAMPSHIRE SKATES PAST VERMONT, 8-1
Sophomore Sam Faber registers four assists for Wildcats.

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Backed by four assists by Sam Faber, fourth-ranked New Hampshire rolled past Vermont, 8-1, in a women's Hockey East game Sunday afternoon at Gutterson Fieldhouse.

It was the 2006-07 season finale for the Catamounts (3-27-2, 1-19-1 Hockey East), their second season in Hockey East and the team’s first under head coach Tim Bothwell. New Hampshire (26-3-5, 18-1-2), who had wrapped up the Hockey East regular season title last week, moves on to the conference tournament next weekend as the number one seed.

“It’s a disappointing way to end the season and we wish we could have ended it with the effort we had Saturday when we played with more intensity and won more battles,” said Bothwell. “Throughout the season we made some positive strides and we need to continue to move forward. All of us have a lot of work ahead this off season.”

The high-powered Wildcats jumped all over Vermont in the first period out-shooting UVM, 17-2, while taking a 3-0 lead. Micaela Long scored a pair of goals in the first 6:37 while Kelly Paton tacked on a power play goal at 10:46. Faber picked up an assist on all three UNH goals.

Vermont broke through at 9:38 of the second period on a goal by Kate Lesniak (Buffalo, N.Y.), who poked in a rebound of a shot from the point by Ashley Keane (Sherborn, Mass.). Kristi Anderson (Naperville, Ill.) also picked up an assist on Lesniak’s second goal of the campaign. New Hampshire bounced right back as Jackie Wedster scored just 24 seconds later. UNH added goals by Kacey Bellamy and Shannon Clement to take a 6-1 lead after two periods.

Goals by Maggie Joyce and Steph Holmes closed out the scoring for the Wildcats who will take on fourth-seeded UConn in Saturday’s Hockey East semifinals. Second-seeded Boston College takes on #3 Providence in the other semifinal.

Goalie Shivaun Siegl (Livonia, N.Y.) made 42 saves for the Catamounts while Melissa Bourdon stopped six shots. The win for Bourdon was the 84th of her career to see a new NCAA record.

Six Vermont seniors, Siegl, Keane, Kristen Norris (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Kattie Anderson (Naperville, Ill.), Jenny Hogan (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and Gabe Worzella (Madison, Conn.), skated in their final collegiate game and were honored prior to the contest.