NORTHFIELD, Minn. - The Bethel University women's hockey team struck a cord early and went on to route the St. Olaf Oles 6-2 in the first of the two-day double header. The MIAC affair saw the Royals record three unanswered goals within the opening 27 minutes of the game before surrendering its first goal.
Charise Kendrick (So., Scandia, Minn.) came up big Friday with a goal and two assists scattered throughout all three periods, while
Jess Newstrom (Jr., Cambridge, Minn.) and the BU defense rallied behind a strong defensive effort.
The Royals garnered two goals in the first period from both
Haley Toter (Sr., Park Ridge, Ill.) and
Kalie Johnson (Fr., Richfield, Minn.). Toter, scoring her first goal of the year, finished a
Charise Kendrick (So., Scandia, Minn.) pass by putting it in the back of the net less than four minutes into the period. BU added to its lead seven minutes later on a
Kalie Johnson goal at the 10:54-mark that was set up by
Biz Huss (Jr., Beaver Bay, Minn.).
Charise Kendrick did more damage to St. Olaf defense and any momentum the home crowd was trying to build early in the second period when scoring her fifth goal of the season. Kendrick's goal came from
Kaylen Erchul (Fr., Gilbert, Minn.) as Kendrick increased her total goals to five, while Erchul assisted just her second goal of the year. The Ole's attempted to cut into the lead with a power-play goal at the 18-minute mark in the second period, making the score 3-1, yet the Royals would leave no doubt that they were the better team in tonight's match-up.
Cristina Masten (So., Fergus Falls, Minn.) added to her team-high total in goals in the third period, when notching her tenth goal of the season on a Huss and
Rachael Geng (Sr., South Saint Paul, Minn.) assist. The goal gave Huss her ninth assist of the season and her second two-point game in the last seven days. For Geng it was her eighth assist, putting the senior from Saint Paul at 12 points in 2011-12. The Oles made it a two-point contest later in the period when connecting on a six-on-six goal from Alex Meyer. Masten then scored her second goal of the game short-handed with just under a minute to play, which was followed by another BU goal when Erchul fired her first goal of her young career on a St. Olaf empty net.
The Royals finished with 29 shots throughout the evening competition, led by Kendrick, who ended the night with six shots. Erchul also had an exceptional night, finishing with five shots, a goal and an assist. In the net
Jess Newstrom recorded 26 saves, including 12 Ole shots in the third period.
Bethel returns home Saturday for a 3 p.m. matinee against St. Olaf in game two of the two-day double header at Bethel University Arena. The Royals look to mount its first winning-streak since early December, when it won three-straight MIAC contests.
