PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Wayne State University women's hockey team (9-17-4, 5-10-1 CHA) wrapped up the 2009-10 regular season with a 4-1 victory over Robert Morris University (10-23-1, 3-12-1 CHA) on Saturday night at the RMU Island Sports Center.

Gina Buquet (Lafayette, La./Ohio Flames) , Julie Ingratta (Markham, Ont./North American Hockey Academy) and Chelsea Burnett (Ridgeway, Ont./Stoney Creek Sabres) finished with a goal and an assist each. Ingratta's tally in the first period proved to be the game-winner, as the Warriors halted a nine-game winless streak and produced more than two goals for the first time since a 3-2 win over RMU on Jan. 16.

Making the first complete start of her collegiate career between the pipes was Brittany Zeches (Westland, Mich./Victory Honda), who finished 26 saves. Her counterpart, Daneca Butterfield, stopped 29 shots.

The Warriors wasted little time in getting on the board, as Katrina Protopapas (Chatham, Ont./Bluewater Hawks) made it a 1-0 game with her team-leading 13th goal of the season just nine seconds into the opening period. It was the fastest goal to start a game in school history, breaking the previous mark of 13 seconds set by Melissa Boal against Mercyhurst exactly one year ago.

Lauren Ragen (Grosse Ile, Mich./Connecticut Polar Bears) fired a shot from the right wing off a pass from Alyssa Baldin (Mississauga, Ont./Mississauga Jr. Chiefs). Protopapas was parked in front of the net to put in the rebound for her 16th point of the year, a career-high.

Baldin, who has six points in the last seven games, also reached a career-high with 19 points.

Zeches kept it a 1-0 game with 14:11 left in the first period, making a pad save on a Brianna Delaney breakaway as an RMU penalty expired.

The Colonials would eventually tie the score, however, at the 17:33 mark as Kelsey Thomas fired from the left wing into the top corner over Zeches' glove.

The tie lasted only 59 seconds, as Ingratta's shot from the right faceoff circle sailed just inside the far corner over the blocker of Butterfield.

Jaclyn Stapleton (Westbank, B.C./Pursuit of Excellence) nearly made it 3-1 in a scoreless second period, as her long-range blast caromed off the post with 2:35 left in the period.

Buquet's power-play tally at 7:29 of the third came from in front of the crease off a pass from behind the net by Julie Hebert (Chelmsford, Ont./Aurora Jr. Panthers). 

Burnett tacked on a short-handed empty-net goal with 49 seconds left with a helper from Christine Jefferson (Nepean, Ont./NCCP Jr. Raiders).

The Warriors and Colonials will meet again Thursday at 3:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the College Hockey America Tournament at the City Sports Center in Detroit.

NOTES
Protopapas' game-opening tally was the third-fastest goal to begin any period at WSU … Jefferson's assist was her first point since Nov. 12 at Wisconsin … Burnett also snapped a scoring drought, recording her first point since a goal Jan. 9 against Vermont … the last time WSU scored at least four goals in a game was Jan. 8 versus Vermont, a 5-2 victory.