The women’s hockey team split their pair of games with St. Mary’s University (Minn.) last weekend.

The team lost 4-1 in the first game on the road, but was able to grab their first win of the year by a one-goal margin on Saturday at home.

Senior captain Kristin Faber thought the score of the first game was misleading since the Cardinals scored to make it 4-3 with just 15 seconds left. This was also with a one-woman-advantage since St. Mary’s had pulled their goalie.

Despite losing, she didn’t think that they necessarily played badly in the first game in comparison to the second.

“We came out strong in the first period and the second (period) in both games, but more so in the second game,” she said. “We put a couple in the net … and kind of gained the momentum, and kept that going in the second and in the third.”

The team scored fewer than three minutes into the game on Saturday and led the rest of the way. The Blugolds would add three more goals.

Faber scored the final goal for the Blugolds. She shot a dart from the right side of the goal that stuck in the top shelf. It was her first of the season.

“It was kind of important to get that goal before the end of the second,” Faber said. “Obviously it paid off as we only won 4-3.”

It was a true team effort on Saturday as a different player scored each goal, and no player has multiple for the season yet.
This team effort was seen in their third goal of the night in which many different players took shots around the crease sending the goalie sprawling to make saves. Eventually, freshman Emily Larson was able to put the puck into the net.

Juniors Toni Simones and Taylor Jenkins led the team with two points each. Simones had a goal and an assist and Jenkins had a pair of assists including one on the final goal.

Freshman goalie Jordyn Quiring, who was pulled after giving up four goals from nine shots Friday night, had a much better game, stopping 20 of 23 shots.
The Blugolds massively outshot their opponents this weekend, 73-42 with 47 of those shots coming in the win.

“Obviously, more shots the better,” Head Coach Mike Collins said. “What that indicates is that we’re playing at the right end of the rink … if we can keep generating offense and give yourself opportunities and if opportunities turn into goals, you’re usually going to win.”

Next weekend, the Blugolds will take on the new Northern Collegiate Hockey Association team St. Norbert’s University. Both games will be at 7:00 p.m. in Hobbs Ice Arena.

“We can’t take them lightly,” Collins said. “… we got to be prepared for them and (we) expect to play a solid game.”