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Mercyhurst Post-Game Notes

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Catherine White scored the overtime game-winner as the Cornell women's hockey team continued its unbelievable season, knocking off top-seeded Mercyhurst, 3-2, to advance to the national championship game on Sunday. Cornell will take on second-seeded Minnesota-Duluth, a 3-2 winner over Minnesota in the second semifinal on Friday.

Laura Fortino and Karlee Overguard both added a goal for the Big Red, who improve to 21-8-6 on the season, while Overguard chipped in an assist on the night. Lauriane Rougeau, Jess Martino, Amber Overguard and Melanie Jue each added an assist for Cornell, which also got 28 saves from Amanda Mazzotta for the victory.

For Mercyhurst, Kylie Rossler and Meghan Corbett both had a goal, with Rossler and Lauren Jones each adding an assist. Hillary Pattenden stopped 27 shots in taking the loss for the Lakers, whose season ends at 30-3-3.

Cornell jumped out early against the Lakers, not at all in awe of the situation. The Big Red went on the penalty kill after Kendice Ogilvie was whistled for a charging the goalie call, but the Big Red didn't miss a beat. Instead, Karlee Overguard forced a turnover in the neutral zone and skated in on Pattenden, ripping a shot that was stopped by the Mercyhurst goaltender, but Fortino was there for the rebound, backhanding the puck into the open net with Pattenden on her left post for the 1-0 lead.

The Big Red took the lead into the first intermission, but a pair of breakdowns defensively swung the momentum in favor of the Lakers. With 11:17 to play in the period, Rossler intercepted a pass inside the Cornell blue line and skated in on Mazzotta, lifting the puck into the net to knot the score at one. Little more than two minutes later, a turnover in the corner saw the puck centered in front to a wide-open Corbett, who popped the puck into the net to give the Lakers the 2-1 lead, a margin that stood going into the second intermission.

In the third, though, the Big Red didn't give up. With 7:06 gone in the period, Jess Martino sent the puck across the front of the crease for Overguard, who was wide open on the back post for the easy tap-in into the net, knotting the score at two. Both teams had chances to go ahead in the closing minutes of the period, but outstanding play on both sides kept the score tied at two. One of the top defensive plays came at the stick of Rougeau, who made a diving stop to break up a pass on a two-on-one with Mercyhurst's Vicki Bendus and Jesse Scanzana.

In the overtime, the Lakers had the majority of chances, putting seven shots on goal to Cornell's five. But, it was White and Amber Overguard that put the Big Red through to the championship game. Overguard stole a pass in the Mercyhurst end and skated in on Pattenden, ripping a shot that was stopped with the rebound coming off to White. White appeared to jam the puck toward the goal, again with Pattenden making the stop, but the puck lay on its edge in the crease, and White popped the puck up and over the Pattenden's leg before the goal came off its moorings. The officials reviewed the goal to make sure the puck crossed the line before the goal came off, but pointed toward center ice for the goal, as the celebration off the Cornell bench continued, despite the protestations from the Mercyhurst side.

Cornell advances to Sunday's national title game against Minnesota-Duluth. Sunday's championship game will be played at 1 p.m. EDT at Ridder Arena and will be televised live on CBS College Sports.