SAINT PETER, Minn. — In their third matchup of the season, the No. 2 Gustavus women's hockey team fell to the No. 1 ranked UW-River Falls Falcons, 2-0. The Falcons used a second period surge to power past Gustavus for the third time in the non-conference series between the nation's best. The Gusties drop to 14-4-0 on the season heading into a crucial MIAC series with Hamline this weekend.
Both teams leaned on their goalies in the first period, as neither was able to put the puck past the two experienced netminders. The Gusties had a number of chances, most notably off the sticks of
Lily Mortenson and
Hailey Holland.
River Falls' Maddie McCollins was the difference-maker in the second period, scoring the Falcons' first on the power play and assisting the second. McCollins took a back-door feed from Aubrey Nelvin to beat
Katie McCoy for the eventual game-winner. MaKenna Aure scored the final goal of the game, gloving down a puck out of the air and sending a floater high over the glove of McCoy with just eight seconds left on the clock in the second period.
The Gusties tried to muster a comeback effort in the third, but missed a couple key rebounds off the pad of Falcon goalie Jordan O'Connor.
McCoy finished with 26 saves between the pipes, while O'Connor picked up the shutout with 28 stops. Mortenson and Holland led the Gustie offense with four shots on goal apiece.
The Gusties are back in action this weekend against Hamline, heading to St. Paul at 6 p.m. Friday before hosting the Pipers Saturday.
