BLAINE, Minn. – The Bethel University women's hockey team was able to get a score late in the third period to salvage a 4-4 tie and take the series from the No. 10-ranked University of St. Thomas. With Friday nights 3-1 win and Saturday's tie the Royals took three of four points from the Tommies, the team they shared the 2015-16 MIAC championship with.
Saturday's contest at Bethel University Arena saw a back-and-forth affair as the two teams traded goals all game with the Tommies scoring first and the Royals answering back every time. Each team scored twice on the power play and both scored twice at even strength. After a scoreless first period the two offenses got in high gear in the second, combining for five goals with UST taking a 3-2 lead into the final intermission.
Sarah Moy scored the Royals first goal with a snipe off the right side and
Kaitlyn VanTassel scored the other goal off a beautiful setup from
Lauren Kolak and
Natalie Simons on the power play.
The third period saw the Royals strike first to tie it back up at 3-3.
Briita Nelson converted for Bethel on a 5-on-3 power play with assists by VanTassel and
Lauren Kolak 4:38 into the period. St. Thomas was able to take the lead back however, scoring with just two seconds left on a power play at the 9:44 mark. With 2:17 remaining in the game VanTassel scored her second goal after being setup by Kolak and Simons again to draw the Royals back to even. The tie would remain through the final minutes of regulation and five minutes of overtime.
Michelle Klimstra made 38 saves for Bethel, including 16 in the third period as the Royals fought back and three more in overtime. Each team was whistled for four penalties and had three power plays, converting on two of them.
The tie leaves Bethel with a 3-2-2 overall record and 2-0-2 in the MIAC, tied for first place. St. Thomas, despite their No.10 national ranking has just one win thus far on the season at 1-4-2 and are 1-1-2 in the MIAC. The Royals will take a week off during Thanksgiving break before returning to action with an MIAC series against St. Catherine University on December 2nd and 3rd.
