#4 UMass beats in-state rival to advance to ACHA quarterfinals!

Bensenville, IL - The #4-seeded University of Massachusetts Minutewomen advanced to the quarterfinals with a 5-2 win over intra-state rival #9 Nichols College (MA) in pool play at the ACHA Women's Division I National Championship on March 6, 2008, at the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville, IL.

UMass jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period behind goals from Courtney Smith (Sharon, MA) and Maura Grainger (Ithaca, NY).  They added to that lead in the second on another score from Grainger before the Bison struck back with a pair of unanswered tallies.  Those points were put on the board by Allison Peters (Westford, MA) in the second and Cheri Winter (Cupertino, CA) in the third.  Peters's score came on the power play.

Courtney Smith got her second goal of the game on the power with 5:13 left in the game, then Angela Rufo (Woburn, MA) added an insurance score at the 2:35 mark for the 5-2 final.

The victory improves UMass's overall record to 20-4-2, 17-4-2 in the ACHA.  Nichols falls to 7-11-2, 4-8-2 in ACHA play.

The Minutewomen will now take on #8 Wisconsin, who became the second team to advance from Pool C with a 6-1 win over #12 Colorado.

UMass and UW will meet in the quarterfinals at 7:45 PM on Friday, March 7, 2008, at the Edge on John Street in Bensenville, IL.