Box Score

BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team lost their season opener 5-3 at home to the No. 6 ranked University of Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons. Penalties hurt the Royals as the Falcons had five power plays on the game and the extra offensive chances resulted in a 42-22 shot advantage for UWRF. The Falcons led the entire way as they consistently answered the Royals scores.

"I thought we spent too much time in the penalty box," said Royals head coach Brian Carlson. "It really interrupted the flow of the game. We had some good scoring chances but just missed them, which could have made it a totally different game. But, overall, I was happy with the effort."

The explosive Falcons, who returned six players that scored 25 or more points last season, wasted little time in grabbing an early lead as they scored just over a minute into the game. Karleigh Wolkerstorfer, a freshman, grabbed the puck and was able to breakaway firing a shot that bounced up off of Bethel goalie Erika Allen's shoulder, down her back and into the net.
The MIAC's leading scorer from last season, senior Cristina Masten, was able to set up Caroline Kivisto from behind the net to get the Royals on the board and tie the game up ten minutes later. Masten flipped the puck back to Kivisto who hammered it into the lower left corner. The Royals very nearly took the lead a few minutes later as Lindsay Burman rifled a shot past the UWRF goalie but it clanged off the corner of the pipe. The Falcons then regained the lead a few minutes later as they scored on a power play and the game went into the first intermission 2-1.

The second period saw the same scoring sequence by both teams as the Falcons scored a quick goal, just 2:50 into the period before Kivisto knocked one home again to draw the Royals back within one. Freshman Lauren Kolak assisted on the play. Just two minutes later the Falcons answered and the game remained scoreless from there as the Royals fended off three power plays but were unable to generate very many offensive chances in the period.

Lindsay Burman got the Royals crowd on their feet and gave Bethel a big shot early in the third period as the again sent a rifle shot on goal from straight on and this one found its way right between the pads of the UWRF goalie to draw Bethel within one at 4-3. The Falcons however, wasted little time in regaining their two goal lead as they sent one of their own shots through the pads of Allen just 35 seconds after Burman's goal and completed the scoring on the night.

Erika Allen made 37 saves in goal for Bethel while Gillian McDonald made 19 for UWRF. The Falcons committed just two penalties while Bethel was whistled for five.
The Royals will travel to River Falls tomorrow looking to take a game on the Falcons home ice. The game will begin at 2 p.m. and live stats and video can be found here.