BURLINGTON, Vermont - The University of Connecticut women's hockey team picked up right where they left off with a 5-1 victory over Vermont Friday night. Graduate student Morgan Wabick added two goals and graduate student Summer-Rae Dobson added an assist and notched 100 career points to help secure the victory.
The Huskies started the first period fast. Sending pucks in deep behind the Vermont net, preventing Vermont from starting an attack all while not committing a penalty. Both teams played whistle free for the first 6 minutes of the game. Senior Danielle Fox would break the tie as she would take the Vermont turnover all by herself and backhand the puck right past the Vermont goaltender. Once again defense would lead to offense as senior Viki Harkness would intercept the Catamount pass and tip it right to sophomore Jada Habisch who would fire the puck on net. After a scrum in front, senior Viki Harkness was able to push the puck into the net to give UConn the 2-0 lead after 10 minutes. Vermont's best chance to cut the lead in half would come towards the end of the period on a shorthanded breakaway however the shot would be turned away by freshman Megan Warrener. The period would end with UConn leading 2-0.
The second period would begin, and the Huskies would pick up right where they left off. UConn would pressure the Vermont defense and keep pucks in the attacking zone. The Huskies would extend their lead early in the second period when sophomore Jada Habisch would take a Vermont turnover the length of the ice and put the puck into the back of the net on the breakaway. Following the goal by Habisch both teams would pick up the physicality resulting in six total penalties to be called in the period. Vermont would get on the board with one second left in the period while on the power play to cut the UConn lead to two.
The third period would start out like the first with both teams playing clean hockey. Vermont would pressure the UConn defense and freshman goalie Megan Warrener as they would outshoot the Huskies 23-14 in the third period. The defense would hold strong as they would hold the Catamounts scoreless in the third period. Graduate student Morgan Wabick would end any hopes of a comeback for Vermont as she would score two goals in the period to give UConn the 5-1 lead. Warrener would finish with 34 saves, and freshman Ava Rinker added two assists. With the win the Huskies improve to 15-4-2 on the season and 9-3-2 in conference play.
Up Next
The Huskies return to action tomorrow January 8 to close out the weekend series vs. Vermont. Puck drop is scheduled for 3 p.m.
