Gustavus Adolphus College senior forward Kelly Crandall has been named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conferernce Women’s Hockey Player of the Week for the week ending March 4, 2007. Crandall scored three goals in two MIAC Playoff games to help lead the Gusties to their fourth consecutive playoff crown and a berth in the NCAA Division III Women’s Hockey Championship.
In Friday night’s 4-1 semifinal win over Hamline, Crandall scored the eventual game-winning goal on a power play early in the second period. She added a short-handed 6-on-4 empty-net goal in the game’s final minute to put the game away. Crandall opened the scoring in Sunday’s 3-2 win over St. Thomas with a power-play goal early in the first period. It was Crandall’s 24th career power-play goal, setting a new school record.
This is the second time this season that Crandall has been recognized by the league and the fifth time this season that a member of the Gustavus team has been recognized. Crandall also received the honor in December. The others were Jenny Pusch (Jan. 29), Sarah Windhorst (Feb. 5), and Andrea Peterson (Feb. 26).
Crandall, a communication studies major, is the daughter of Dick and Nancy Crandall of Plymouth and a 2003 graduate of Robbinsdale Armstrong High School.
Gustavus, now 25-2-0, will host University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Hockey Championship. The winner of that game will face the winner of the Middlebury/Manhattanville Friday, March 16 at Stafford Ice Arena in Plattsburgh, N.Y.