Big third period lifts Sioux women to tie

GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- The University of North Dakota women's hockey team scored three goals in the last 10 minutes of the game against the Maine Black Bears today to erase a 3-0 lead. The game would go scoreless in overtime for the second consecutive night and finish in a 3-3 tie.

Freshman Jordan Slavin (Erie, Colo.) and Mary Loken (Roseau, Minn.) along with sophomore Alyssa Wiebe scored for the Sioux who move to 3-6-3 (3-6-1-0 WCHA) on the year with Maine picking up its fifth tie of the season (3-9-5, 1-5-1-1 Hockey East).

After yesterday's game that saw five goals in the first period, the two teams skated to a 0-0 tie entering the first intermission where Sioux netminder Jorid Dagfinrud fought off an early onslaught.

Then a defensive meltdown occurred for UND as it allowed three goals with in a six minute span. Jenna Ouellette started the scoring at 11:15 of the period with Jordan Colliton adding a goal at 14:59 and Dawn Sullivan capped off the run at 16-41. The Sioux were outshot 23-11 in the first two periods.

Looking for a spark head coach Brian Idalski made a goalie change for the third period as senior Brittany Kirkham entered the game in relief of Dagfinrud. Kirkham made a couple early saves and Slavin was able give them that final little push opening the floodgates. A defenseman, Slavin found herself in a rare opportunity leading a rush on a 2-on-1 opportunity and fired a wrist shot that beat Brittany Ott at 10:01.

With a sense of urgency and now with the games momentum, the Sioux finished the period outshooting the Black Bears 11-4 with three unanswered goals of its own.

At 14:39, Wiebe would cut the lead to one with a goal that was initially ruled not to have crossed the goal line but after meeting with the other officials and the goal judge it was determined to be a goal.

Loken would cap off the comeback attempt scoring UND's third goal with only 1:18 left on the clock.

The Sioux return to WCHA action next weekend as the Sioux host Bemidji State on Friday at 7:07 p.m. in the first part of a home-and-home series, playing in Bemidji on Saturday at 7:07 p.m.

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