Vanidestine, Kozlowski Each Score Two
Huskies Get First-Ever Win Against the Polar Bears

            GORHAM, Maine -- Sophomores Ally Vanidestine (Bangor, Maine) and Lynn Kozlowski (Stoneham, Mass.) each scored two goals as the University of Southern Maine Huskies women's ice hockey upset the 10th-ranked Bowdoin College Polar Bears 6-3 in non-conference action Tuesday evening at the USM Ice Arena.

            The win was the Huskies first ever against the Polar Bears in 22 games dating back to the series beginning on January 9, 1999.  The Huskies improved their overall record to 4-9-1.  The Polar Bears, ranked 10th in this week's USCHO.com Division III poll, lost for the second time in the last three games to slide to 7-3-2 on the season.

            The six goals scored were a season high for the Huskies, and the most since they potted half a dozen against New England College on November 5, 2013.  The multiple-goal games were the first of their careers for Vanidestine and Kozlowski.

            Junior Chelsea Boucher (Gilford, N.H.) had a goal and two assists, and sophomore Katie Couture (Harrisville, R.I.) had two assists for the Huskies.  Senior goalie Liz Bergstrom (Chanhassen, Minn.) played a strong game stopping 32 shots, including 27 over the final two periods.

            Junior Rachel Kennedy (Trumbull, Conn.) and sophomore Marne Gallant (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.) each had a goal and an assist for the Polar Bears.  Senior Maddie Baird (Dundas, Ont.) had a goal, and sophomore Ariana Bourque (West Barnstable, Mass.) chipped in two assists.

            Junior Beth Findley (Hingham, Mass.) drew the start in goal for the Polar Bears and had 12 saves before being lifted for sophomore Lan Crofton (Milton, Mass.) with 5:35 to play.  Crofton had two saves in 1:38 before heading to the bench for the extra skater.

            USM grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period on an unassisted goal by Boucher and a short-handed tally by Vanidestine.

            Bowdoin turned up the intensity in the middle period and was rewarded when Gallant scored from the high slot area.  Bowdoin outshot USM 15-5 in the period, but Bergstrom stood tall and got some help from the pipes as Baird rang a shot off the left post.

            The Huskies scored twice in a 27-second span to increase their margin to 4-1.  Kozlowski scored a power-play goal at 7:06 from Couture and Boucher.  Vanidestine scored her second knocking in the rebound of a shot from junior Kaleigh Heath (Jericho, Vt.).

            Bowdoin got one back at 12:22 when Kennedy scored her sixth of the season from just outside the left side of the cage.  Senior Julia Pearl (Essex Jct., Vt.) restored the Huskies' three-goal edge when she slipped a shot inside the near post on Findley.

            Baird scored a power-play goal for Bowdoin at 16:22 from Kennedy and Bourque before Kozlowski closed the scoring with an unassisted empty-net, short-handed tally at 17:53.

            Southern Maine returns to ECAC Women's East play this Friday (4:00 p.m.) when it host Manhattanville College.  Bowdoin will travel to Wesleyan University for a two-game NESCAC series this Friday (7:00 p.m.) and Saturday (3:00 p.m.). 

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