ST. PAUL - The Bethel University women's hockey returned to the ice with a pair of games at the TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul, falling by a 4-3 score on Friday against Lake Forest before rebounding with a 5-2 win over St. Norbert on Saturday. Bethel's eight goals scored between the two games where a season high for a weekend series and Saturday's five goals were a season high for a single game. Bethel held a 3-2 lead going into the third period on Friday but Lake Forest was able to score once early and once late in the final period to steal the win. Saturday Bethel held another 3-2 third period lead and this time added two more goals of their own late to finish with the 5-2 final.

Friday - Lake Forest 4, Bethel 3
The Royals were able to score the first goal of the game and the new year as newcomer Emily Roder scored at the 12:09 mark in the first period with assists from Taylor Ryan and Maylynn Prokopec.  It was a back and forth affair from there as the teams traded goals. Lake Forest scored at 13:50 and then just under a minute later the Royals answered with a Payton Olson score to end the first period at 2-1, Bethel. Lake Forest scored just 3:58 into the second period to tie the game back up but Bailey Thompson gave the Royals the lead back with a goal at 15:45 with an assist to Kennedi Mitchell. Lake Forest responded again with a goal 39 seconds into the third period. This time Bethel was unable to respond and the Foresters scored with just 2:24 remaining in the game to take the 4-3 lead and held on down the stretch for the victory.  Lake Forest outshot Bethel 39-20 in the game and Mallory Tidona made 35 saves. The Royals were called for three penalties while Lake Forest committed just one.

Saturday - Bethel 5, St. Norbert 2
The Royals returned to the TRIA ice quickly with a noon matchup on Saturday with St. Norbert after the Friday night game ended at 9:30pm. Bethel immediately took a lead with a Bailey Thompson goal just 3:52 into the first period. Courtney Johnston then scored at 15:07 to put Bethel up 2-0. The Green Knights where able to get a score of their own before the end of the first period at 18:07. Bri Stafne gave Bethel a two-goal lead again at 4:36 in the second period in what was the only score by either team in the second. Bethel maintained their 3-1 lead late into the third period before St. Norbert scored with 2:18 remaining in the game to pull within one but the Royals scored two empty net goals in the final minute and a half. Kennedi Mitchell and Makenzie Baker scored the goals to give the Royals the 5-2 victory. Bethel outshot St. Norbert 25-21 and freshman Baleigh Shuck made 19 saves to record the victory in net.

The Royals now stand at 4-7 on the season after snapping their five game losing skid, all but one of those five games where by a single goal with four of the five against Top 10 ranked teams. Bethel's next contest will be a home matchup against another Top 10 ranked team in No. 7 UW-River Falls. The Royals and Falcons will faceoff Saturday, January 11th at 2 p.m. from Bethel University Arena.