Box Score

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. - If today's game is any indication of how the Bethel Royals will play for the remainder of the season, it's going to be an exciting fall. The Royals got scoring from six different players this afternoon on their way to a 9-0 win over the Crown Storm on the road in the season opener.

Bethel tallied an incredible 41 shots on goal, led by Brittany Griffore (So., Maple Grove, Minn.), who scored on three of her five shots for a hat trick and six points. The Royals got the scoring going just under the 13 minute mark of the first half when Krista Polding (Jr., Waconia, Minn.) scored what would prove to be the game winning goal, assisted by Kelsey Flaherty (Fr., Shoreview, Minn.). Eight minutes later, Leah Hardie (So., Ankeny, Iowa) scored her first collegiate goal, unassisted. She would also go on to assist on Bethel's eighth goal of the afternoon with less than nine minutes remaining, also assisted by Anne Fazio (Fr., Holland, Mich.). Fazio had three assists and a goal of her own just before the half for five points, matched by fellow newcomer Lydia Bergeson (Fr., Mauston, Wis.) who had two goals and an assist. Katilin Top (Fr., Sioux Falls, S.D.) provided the end cap of the scoring by netting her first collegiate goal at the 85:22 mark of the game, assisted by Fazio.

Defensively, the Royals thwarted any and all scoring attempts by the Storm. Alyssa Riggs (Jr., Columbia Heights, Minn.) started in front of the net and played for the first two-thirds of the game. Riggs stopped each of the three shots that came her way before being relieved by Kiersten Hansen (Sr., Eden Prairie, Minn.), who did not face a shot in her 33-plus minutes as goalkeeper. Each of Crown's three shots came in the first half.

The Royals start their season 1-0, while the Storm are now 0-1 after their debut. Bethel returns home to take on UW-Superior on Friday, September 4, at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex beginning at 4 p.m.