[box score] The Wayne State University women's hockey team had its 2002-03 campaign come to a close with a 5-0 loss to Mercyhurst in the first game of the 2003 College Hockey America Women's Tournament being hosted by WSU at City Sports Center Arena in Detroit.

Mercyhurst, the regular season CHA champions and #1 seed, won all three meetings this season against the #4 seeded Warriors and improved to 15-0 lifetime. The whitewash was the ninth this season for Mercyhurst.

K.C. Gallo and Chrissy Yule broke a scoreless tie with goals just 18 seconds apart late in the first period. Gallo was the recipient of Lyndsay Barch's pass as the two worked a two-on-one to perfection. It was Gallo's fourth goal of the year, third game-winner, and came at 18:41. Yule then buried a centering pass behind Wayne State junior netminder Anna VanderMarliere to give Mercyhurst a 2-0 advantage. Yule's eighth of the year at 18:59 was helped by Jenn Jeffrey and Samantha Shirley. Mercyhurst held a 12-5 advantage in shots in the period.

The Lady Lakers broke the game open with three unanswered lamplighters in the second. Jeffrey scored from just inside the line at 9:17 after Jess Dillabough won a draw deep in the Warriors' zone. Lindsay Dellow followed at 9:44 with help from Tracy Logan and Danielle Lansing. Shirley finished the scoring at 14:18, banging home a rebound of a shot by Sara McDonald. Mercyhurst outshot WSU 17-6 in the second and 41-20 in the game.

Mercyhurst goalie Tiffany Ribble picked up her sixth shutout of the year and improved her record to 16-6-0. VanderMarliere, who shared conference first team goltending honors with Ribble, dropped to 8-14-0.

Eight minor penalties were called in the quickly-played contest, five against Mercyhurst, as the teams went a combined 0-8 on the power play.

Mercyhurst will play #3 Findlay, 1-0 winner over second seeded Niagara in the second semifinal game, on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Wayne State concludes the season with a 10-19-1 record, the most wins in a season in school history. The Warriors will lose just two seniors to graduation, defensemen Kelly Meech and Kristina Sanfilippo.