Box Score

BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team rang up six goals on the Augsburg College Auggies in a 6-2, Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) series opening victory Friday night. Cristina Masten led the way for Bethel with a hat trick and four total points on the night. Freshman Kathryn Larson contributed two goals while Kalie Johnson had a goal and an assist in a game that was filled with penalties on both sides. A total of 15 penalties were called in the game with eight going against the Royals. Only two of the goals, one for each team, however, where scored on power plays. Masten's final goal of the game came shorthanded.

Bethel scored first, late in the first period, as Masten scored unassisted at the 17:16 mark. The Royals wasted little time stretching their lead in the second period as Caroline Kivisto and Masten hooked up with Kalie Johnson just 1:43 into the second period. Five minutes later Johnson found Masten on a Royals power play for another score to make it 3-0. Augsburg was able to get on the board with a breakaway goal by Callen Naasz just 25 seconds after Masten's goal to make it 3-1. Freshman Kathryn Larson took a great crossing pass from Lindsay Burman and sent the puck into the top corner of the net at 16:23 in the second period to give the Royals a 4-1 lead heading into the second intermission.

Larson scored again 7:58 into the third on another nifty play as she was assisted by Erin Harper. With two Royals in the penalty box for hooking and checking, Augsburg was able to take advantage of the five on three situation to score their second goal of the night 13:10 into the third period. Just a minute later, with Augsburg still on the power play, Masten stole an Auggie pass and slipped behind the defenders for a breakaway which she finished beautifully for her third goal of the night. The four points for Masten brings her career total to 96 points, just nine off the Royals all-time leader, Bethany Murphy-Aultman at 105.

Bethel and Augsburg will tangle again Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Augsburg Ice Arena in Minneapolis. The win improved Bethel to 2-1 while Augsburg fell to 1-2. The Royals have scored a total of 16 goals in their three games on the season. Live stats/video of Saturday's game can be found here.