GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota women's hockey team was represented well at the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federations (IIHF) World Championships collecting three gold medals, one silver medal and two bronze medals along with three individual awards.
With a 3-2 overtime win over Canada today, Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D) and Monique Lamoureux-Kolls (Grand Forks, N.D.) helped USA to its third straight world title (2008, 2009 and 2011) and the new No. 1 in the Women's World Rankings. Canada defeated USA 2-0 for the gold medal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
"I thought we played a great game," Lamoureux-Kolls said who was selected as the top forward of the tournament. "Our focus all week was on defense first and the offense would take care of itself. It wasn't about them. It was about us playing our game, playing at our pace and if we did that we knew we could win.
In their second stint with the team, the Lamoureux twins are now 10-0 with two gold medals in the IIHF World Championship Top Division.
Lamoureux-Kolls concluded the tournament tied for fifth in scoring with seven points (2-5-7) in only three games played, while Lamoureux was tied for eighth with six points (3-3-6) in five games.
Lamoureux-Kolls received the Directorate Award for the 'Best Forward' in the Tournament.
"I honestly wasn't expecting it at all," Lamoureux-Kolls said. "I missed the first two games due to an injury and when they called my name it was just very unexpected. It's an honor being recognized as the top forward when you play with and against world-class athletes."
Redshirt freshman Michelle Karvinen (Rodovre, Denmark) was named to the media all-star team after helping Finland to a bronze medal and third in the tournament's scoring title. She trailed only two USA players with her eight points and was tied for second in goals with four.
"It's absolutely great to win the bronze medal," Karvinen said after an overtime 3-2 victory over Russia today. "It was a tight game, and I'm so happy that it ended well for us. I believed in our team and I knew we would come back. I think we were the better skaters, that's why we won. I'm so proud of the team and especially for the newcomers, who did a great job."
Former UND defenseman Susanne Fellner (Fronhofer, Germany) and current Sioux goaltender Jorid Dagfinrud (Sarpsborg, Norway) had their two respective teams meet in the Division I championship game with Germany skating to a 3-1 victory. Dagfinrud did not play in the championship game although going 2-0 in the tournament with one shutout, a .973 save percentage and a 0.50 goals against average. Fellner had a plus/minus of +2 but did not score.
Incoming recruit Josefine Jakobsen (Aalborg, Denmark) also received the Directorate Award for the 'Best Forward' in the Tournament as she led Denmark to the bronze medal in Division II action. She was second in the tournament in scoring, tied for first in goals (6-1-7) and tied for fifth with a +5 plus/minus.
~GO SIOUX~
