Box Score The nine year wait is over. The Hamline women's hockey team will be taking on St. Thomas in the opening round of the MIAC playoffs on Friday, February 24. The Pipers were hoping they could play at Oscar Johnson Arena but it was not to be as Gustavus Adolphus, needing a win to clinch first place in the MIAC, edged HU, 2-1, Saturday afternoon. 

Darby Dodds scored on Hamline's only power play of the game midway in the third period. Annie Juergens had 35 saves in goal for HU, which finished the regular season with a 12-12-1 overall mark. Their 10-8 record in MIAC play gets them into the postseason for just the third time in school history. Hamline, the fifth place seed, will play at St. Thomas' arena in Mendota Heights. Game time is TBA at this point. 

The team split during their regular season series in December. HU won, 3-2, at St. Thomas and the Tommies gained a 6-2 decision at Oscar Johnson. 

Saturday, the Gusties scored singletons in each of the first two periods. HU outshot GAC, 11-8, in the first 20 minutes of play but the visitors held a 21-6 advantage in the middle frame and finished the game with a 35-23 edge. Dodds, who is tied with Bre Simon for the MIAC scoring lead with 16 goals, took a feed from Emily Gunderson and slipped a shot home at 12:29 of the final frame. The Pipers pushed hard for the tying tally, pulling Juergens for the final 90 seconds to no avail.

None of which matters come Thursday. HU head coach Natalie Darwitz will lead her charges into their first postseason game ever against UST -- and their first postseason game of any sort since March 1, 2007.  Game time at St. Thomas Arena is 7:00 p.m. If HU wins, they will head to Gustavus Adolphus on Saturday, February 25 at 2:00 p.m.