BLAINE, Minn. - The Bethel University women's hockey team was able to get back into the win column Saturday afternoon with a 7-1 victory over St. Olaf College. The Royals scored three second period goals to take control of the game and then tacked on four more in the third period.

St. Olaf opened the scoring with a goal seven minutes into the 3rd period before Bethel unleashed a scoring barrage on the Oles. Bri Stafne got things rolling for Bethel as she scored a breakaway goal by putting several moves on the Oles goaltender to tie the game up at 1-1. Bailey Thompson set Stafne's breakaway up for the assist. Just over five minutes later Kaitlyn VanTassel scored on a similar play as Stafne, getting another short breakaway attempt and VanTassel went top shelf to beat the Oles goalie. Cali Pearcy had the assist for Bethel. The Royals weren't done in the second period as Sarina Goos scored with just three seconds remaining to make the score 3-1, Bethel. Thompson and Briita Nelson assisted Goos.   

The third period was more of the same for the Royals with Wendy Roberts scoring just 4:15 into the period with an assist to Erika Geary. Bri Stafne then scored her second goal of the day as the Oles net was left unattended and Stafne took advantage to make it 5-1. Briita Nelson then tacked on another score for Bethel at 13:38 with the assist to Wendy Roberts. With just 39 seconds remaining in the game Roberts scored once again for the final score of 7-1. VanTassel and Kennedi Mitchell assisted on Roberts score.

The win keeps the Royals playoff hopes strongly alive as they will enter the final weekend tied with Saint Mary's and either one point up or one point down of St. Kate's (depending on the result of the Wildcats game Saturday night against Augsburg). The Wildcats are the Royals opponent next weekend in the final regular season series in what could end up determining the final MIAC playoff spot. Saint Mary's will take on St. Olaf. Bethel is now 9-12-2 overall and 5-9-2 in the MIAC.