Gophers women's hockey to play at Mercyhurst

The No. 6 Gophers women's hockey team plays Mercyhurst in a nonconference series this weekend in Erie, Pa. Game times are 2 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.

Minnesota (7-4-1) is 6-1 all-time against the Lakers in a series which began in January of 2001. The one loss in their last meeting stung hard, though. Mercyhurst won 5-4 in the semifinals of the 2009 Women's Frozen Four.

Junior forward Vilma Tanskanen (five goals, one assist) and freshman forward Alexa Vasko (six assists) lead the Lakers with six points apiece.

Tanskanen is one of three players to transfer to Mercyhurst from North Dakota after the Fighting Hawks dropped their program after last season.

Senior defenseman Sydney Baldwin leads the Gophers in points (2-11—13), followed by senior forward Caitlin Reilly (6-6—12), freshman forward Grace Zumwinkle (6-6—12) and sophomore defenseman Patti Marshall (1-10—11).

The No. 5 Gophers volleyball team plays two Big Ten road matches this week.

U Minnesota (23-2, 12-2 Big Ten) plays at Purdue at 4:30 p.m. Friday and at Indiana at 6 p.m. Saturday.

The Hoosiers (12-14, 1-13) are fourth in the conference in aces at 1.4 per set.

Minnesota trails Big Ten co-leader Penn State and Nebraska, both 14-1, by 1½ games. Each of them has five conference matches left, the Gophers have six.

Gustavus defeated Aurora, Ill., 23-25, 25-15, 27-25, 25-15 in a first-round match of the NCAA Division III volleyball tournament at Northwestern (St. Paul). Kate Holtan had 20 kills and Hanna Albers 17 for the Gusties (24-6).

St. Thomas (25-7) lost its opener to Wartburg (Iowa), 22-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-23, 15-3. Junior Julia Spacek had 13 kills and four blocks through late in the fourth set for the Tommies going out because of an ankle injury.

• The Gophers women's basketball team signed a fourth recruit, Houlfat "Happy" Mahouchiza of South Georgia Technical College. She is a 6-1 forward from Nice, France.

• The Gophers men's gymnastics team signed David Pochinka of Plano, Texas — his brother Yaro is a senior on the team; Ben Eyles of Ames, Iowa; Michael Moran of Morristown, N.J., and Daniel Yoon of Manhattan Beach, Calif.