Three-Peat Denied
HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — Shannon MacAulay scored on a breakaway with 4:16 left in the third and it proved to be the difference as Clarkson beat Minnesota in Sunday's NCAA women's hockey championship.
Vanessa Plante broke a 3-3 tie from the point with 8:28 to go for Clarkson. MacAulay, who also had two assists, stole the puck at her own blue line and scored on a backhander on the break to make it 5-3.
Minnesota defenseman Baylee Gillanders cut the lead in half 35 seconds later, but Clarkson (31-5-5) held on for its first NCAA championship in any sport.
Top-ranked Minnesota (38-2-1) had been unbeaten in 26.
Maryanne Menefee and Rachael Bona scored Minnesota goals 1:48 apart in the second period to make it 3-3.
Christine Lambert, Shelby Nisbet and Patty Kazmaier Award winner Jamie Lee Rattray scored for Clarkson.
Sarah Davis scored for Minnesota in the first period.