DULUTH, Minn. – Bethel University's women's hockey team battled hard on the road Friday night in Duluth but ultimately fell 1–4 to the College of St. Scholastica in a MIAC matchup. The Royals showed energy and effort throughout the contest, generating chances and competing in all three periods.
Bethel got on the scoreboard early in the second period when senior Maddi O'Connor redirected a pass from freshman Olivia Martin to give the Royals a 1–0 lead. The Royals carried momentum into the middle stanza, but the host team responded with two goals before the period concluded to take the lead heading into the third.
In the final frame, Bethel continued to press offensively, working the puck through the offensive zone and creating scoring opportunities. However, two additional goals from the opposition extended the margin and sealed the outcome.
O'Connor led the Royals offensively with the team's lone goal and finished with multiple shots on goal, while Martin contributed an assist and played a key role in generating offensive pressure. Senior Julia Helget and sophomore Afton Hulke added shots on goal and battled consistently in puck battles, while junior Trinity Jackson provided physical play and strong effort along the boards.
Defensively, Bethel worked to disrupt passing lanes and limit quality scoring chances. Goaltender Ashley Gustafson (Hess) faced a steady workload in net and made several saves to keep the Royals within reach early in the contest. Bethel also created opportunities on the power play, controlling possession and looking for shooting lanes.
The Royals will look to regroup as they finish their series at 4pm against the College of St. Scholastica on Saturday, January 24th at home.
