UW-Stevens Point beat UW-River Falls 3-1 in the NCHA Championship game played Sunday in Stevens Point.

UWSP won its second straight NCHA Playoff Championship and third overall. They also won the 2002 title. UWSP and UWRF have played in each of the last three playoff championship games. In 2002 UWSP won, 2-1 and in 2003 UWRF took a 5-1 win.

Stevens Point 3, River Falls 1
Championship Game
UWSP led 2-0 after one period and 3-1 after two. Kim Lunneborg opened the scoring for UWSP with a goal at 6:09 of the first period. She was assisted by Ann Ninnemann. It was her 11th goal of the year. UWSP took a 2-0 lead at 14:03 when Katy Lankey scored with assists to Jackie Schmitt and Jessie Suter. UWRF got back to within 2-1 at :31 of the second period. Kelly Jensen scored her fifth goal of the year with an assist to Kristen Hurley. But UWSP scored the game's final goal at 5:17. Schmitt got the goal, her 14th of the year, with an assist to Lankey. UWSP goalie Amy Statz made 17 saves and UWRF's Marlene Yaeger stopped 23 shots.

Eau Claire 5, Superior 1
Third Place Game
UWEC's Tara Hayner scored two goals to help lead her team to the win. It is the highest finish ever for the Blugolds in the NCHA playoffs. They had finished four two times. UWEC led 1-0 after one period and 3-0 after two. Allie Campbell scored a power-play goal at 13:01 of the first period with assists to Karen Hebert and Christa Hubert. In the second, Hubert scored at 17:18 with an assist to Laura Suppes. Just 50 seconds later Hayner scored her first of the game with assists to Allison Timberg and Laura Brackey. At 3:42 of the third Hayner scored again, a power-play goal, with an assist from Brackey. Theresa Guindon scored the final UWEC goal at 10:52 with assists to Amber Stevenson and Hebert. UWS's Kayla Thibideau scored her team's goal at 14:30 with assists to Lindsay Bennett and Gina Baranzelli. UWEC goalie Jill Arendt made 21 saves and UWS's Kristy Faechner stopped 16 shots.

Stevens Point 3, Eau Claire 0
UWSP scored single goals in each period to get the win. Hilary Bulger scored at 5:13 of the first period to give UWSP the lead. It was her third goal of the year. Tracy Truckey and Ashley Howe assisted. At 1:36 of the second period, the Pointers took a 2-0 lead when Howe scored her 16th goal of the year, unassisted. Kathy Lankey scored at 3:26 of the third period, her ninth of the season. She was assisted by Jessie Suter and Lauren Kellin. UWSP goalie Amy Statz made 15 saves to improve her record to 19-2-1. UWEC goalie Jill Arendt stopped 31 shots.

River Falls 5, Superior 4 OT
UWRF's Jenna Scanlon scored at 17:27 of overtime to help lift her team to a 5-4 overtime win over UWS. In a game that had three lead changes and had six third period goals, UWRF tied the game with three minutes left in regulation. UWS led 1-0 after one and the game was tied 1-1 after two. UWS's Amy Kachinske scored the only goal of the first period, at 8:41. It was her ninth goal of the year. The Falcons tied it a 1-1 at 11:27 of the second period when Kelly Jensen scored a power-play goal. It was her fifth goal of the year. In a wild third period, the Falcons took a 3-1 lead. Renae Bergh scored her fifth goal of the year at 5:31 and Molly Buehner scored her second goal of the season at 7:19. But just 19 second later, UWS got to within 3-2 when Rae Hannah scored. At 16:11 Hannah scored her second goal of the game, and her fifth of the year, to tie the score, 3-3. She was assisted by Tera Morris UWS then went ahead 4-3 at 16:39 when Erin Kegley scored with an assist to Haley Sharrow. But the Falcons bounced back to tie the game at 17:00 when Amy Bruggeman scored her fifth goal of the season with assists to Buehner and Jenny Wallace. That set up Scanlon's game-winner in overtime. Kristen Hurley assisted on the final goal. UWRF goalie Amber Lindner made 19 saves, including six in the overtime session. UWS goalie Kristy Faechner stopped 27 shots, including 10 in the overtime.

Bids to the NCAA Div. III National Championships will be announced on Sunday, March 6. UWSP was ranked No. 3, UWS No. 4 and UWRF No. 5 in the Feb. 22 NCAA Div. III West Region poll.

Upcoming Games
None

Last Week's Results
NCHA Playoffs Championship Game
Sunday, Feb. 27
at Ice Hawks Arena (Stevens Point)
Stevens Point 3, River Falls 1
NCHA Playoffs Third Place Game
Sunday, Feb. 27
at Ice Hawks Arena (Stevens Point)
Eau Claire 5, Superior 1 (at Stevens Point)
NCHA Semifinal Playoffs
Saturday, Feb. 26
at Ice Hawks Arena (Stevens Point)
Stevens Point 3, Eau Claire 0 (at Stevens Point)
River Falls 5, Superior 4 OT (at Stevens Point)

2005 NCHA Women's Standings
after games of Feb. 27, 2005