The Gustavus women’s hockey team saw its 2009-10 season come to a disappointing end with a 4-1 loss to Elmira College on Saturday afternoon in the third place game of the NCAA Championship Finals, which were held at Don Roberts Ice Rink on the Gustavus campus. Elmira exploded for three goals in a six minute stretch in the second period and the Gusties were not ever able to recover. Allie Schwab scored the lone goal for the Gusties midway through the second period. Coach Mike Carroll and his squad ended the season with a record of 22-6-2.
The two teams played through a scoreless first period before Amber Tirri gave Elmira a 1-0 lead on a wristshot at the 2:43 mark of the second period. The Soaring Eagles extended their lead to 2-0 when Lauryn DePaul scored five minutes later (7:23) and continued their scoring barrage just over a minute later when Caitlin Metcalf pushed the lead to 3-0 with a goal at the 8:38 mark.
Gustavus scored its lone goal midway through the second period when Allie Schwab threw a quick shot on Elmira goaltender Lauren Sullivan that slipped through the five hole and trickled over the goal line at the 11:30 mark. The goal would turn out to be the lone score for the Gusties in the weekend tournament.
Elmira closed out the scoring late in the third period when Alexandra Bressler tallied a power play goal with under two minutes remaining in the game (18:03).
Emily Klatt played all 60 minutes in goal for Gustavus making 22 saves. Lauren Sullivan registered 31 saves in registering her 15th win of the season for Elmira.
Gustavus posted its sixth consecutive 20-win season and ninth in the 12-year history of the program.