BLAINE, Minn. - After a 6-1 route over the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Friday night the Royals returned home Saturday afternoon to face the Blugolds in a 3 p.m. matinee at the Bethel University Arena in the National Sports Center. BU tied the game in dramatic fashion during the final minute of regulation, which eventually led to the 2-2 tie.

Playing on short rest Saturday neither team composed a goal in the opening period. Despite 23 total shots among the two squads, Bethel and UW-Eau Claire remained scoreless after twenty minutes.

The Royals delivered the first goal of the game four minutes into the second period when Rachael Geng (Sr., South Saint Paul, Minn.) tallied her second goal of the season off a Buz Huss assist. Geng placed herself just in front of the net, and hammered home Huss's pass.

Bethel held onto the lead for the remainder of the second period and well into the third period until surrendering two quick goals to UW-EC. The Blugolds took advantage of a power play eight minutes into period three when Allison Malecek tallied her first goal of the season. Two minutes later Casey McMullen struck a peculiar shot from the blue line that found its way into the Royal net, giving the opposing team its first lead of the weekend. With 1:10 remaining on the clock in the third Royal goalie Jess Newstrom (Jr., Cambridge, Minn.) left the net, giving BU the one-man advantage. The strategic move paid off as Molly Eagles (Jr., Falcon Heights, Minn.) fired a slap shot from 30-feet out past Blugold goalie Morgan Piper within 25 seconds.

Despite the Royals outshooting Wisconsin-Eau Claire seven to zero in the overtime period the score stood tied at two following the final horn. Throughout the matchup Bethel outshot the WIAC foe 39-37. BU was led by Molly Eagles, who recorded seven shots. Following Eagles was Kalie Johnson (Fr., Richfield, Minn.) and Cristina Masten (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.), as they each tallied five shots. Sarah Kartak (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.) and Chari Kendrick (So., Scandia, Minn) each received an assist on the Eagles equalizer.

Newstrom totalled 35 saves throughout the afternoon against the Blugolds.

With the tie Bethel holds a 1-0-1 record after two games, and looks ahead to face St. Olaf in a MIAC battle in Hibbing, Minn. next weekend.