ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Bethel University helped its post-season chances with a 3-1 victory over the College of Saint Benedict Friday night at the Municipal Athletic Complex in St. Cloud, Minn. The Royals surrendered a goal early in the opening period, but shut out the Blazers the rest of the way on its way to its third straight game without tasting defeat.
Forty-three seconds into the opening period CSB took the 1-0 lead when Alli O'Brien fired a goal past Bethel keeper
Jess Newstrom (Jr., Cambridge, Minn.). It was the fourth time in the last five games that BU has allowed its opponents to score first. Yet the Royals responded less than a minute into the second with two goals, as
Biz Huss (Jr., Beaver Bay, Minn.) again helped BU get on the board with a shot assisted by Kate Whalin (Jr., Lakeville, Minn.). With the score knotted at one,
Kalie Johnson (Fr., Richfield, Minn.) recorded the unassisted go-ahead goal with 17:03 on the clock.
Johnson managed her second goal of the game on an empty net goal in the third period with one minute remaining in the game, that propelled the Bethel lead to two and the eventual 3-1 victory.
Newstrom finished the game with 26 saves, keeping the Blazers to just the early goal, whereas the Royals fired 36 total shots in Friday's contest.
Bethel looks to capture the two-game sweep Saturday, returning home to face CSB at 3 p.m. in the Bethel University Arena in the National Sports Complex in Blaine, Minn. The MIAC matchup will be the second-to-last regular season home game, however, the Royals still have a chance to host a playoff game.
