GRAND FORKS, N.D. – It was a stellar weekend for freshman forward Susanna Tapani of the University of North Dakota women's hockey team. After scoring a goal and adding five assists to begin her collegiate career, the Western Collegiate Hockey Association named her Rookie of the Week for her six-point effort against Lindenwood, the conference announced Wednesday.

The Laitala, Finland, native helped UND sweep Lindenwood, by scores of 5-1 and 6-1, to open the 2013-14 regular season.

In Friday's, Oct. 4, outing, Tapani recorded her first collegiate points with three assists, helping on both of Josefine Jakobsen's power-play goals, including her game-winner.

In the second game, on Saturday, Oct. 5, Tapani scored her first collegiate goal to give UND a 3-0 lead in the second period. She then assisted on two-of-the-final-three UND goals, as North Dakota finished off the Lady Lions, 6-1.

This is the first weekly honor for North Dakota this season, and the first Rookie of the Week for UND since Meghan Dufault earned the honor on Feb. 20, 2013.

North Dakota begins conference action this weekend, hosting No. 9 Minnesota Duluth on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12-13, at 2:07 p.m.