RIVER FALLS, Wis. — In a game with a national championship feel, the Gustavus women's hockey team ended its season at UW-River Falls, falling to the top-ranked Falcons 2-1 in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Hailey Holland scored a second period goal and
Katie McCoy totaled 26 saves between the pipes, but it wasn't enough to get around the Falcons, as the Gusties end their season 22-5-0 overall and UWRF remains undefeated, 29-0-0, heading into the Frozen Four.
Neither team could get their offense rolling to start the game, each totaling only five shots on goal apiece in the first frame. Aubrey Nelvin ignited the flame for the Falcons, getting one past McCoy 13 minutes into the first period for a 1-0 lead for the home team.
After the intermission,
Hailey Holland returned the favor, evening the score with her 19th goal of the season just two minutes into the second period. Holland rushed out of the Gustie zone, walked around the Falcon net and defenders, sending the puck behind the back of UWRF netminder Jordan O'Connor to even the score at 1-1. The Gusties continued to maintain offensive pressure throughout the second period, totaling 11 shots on goal in the middle stanza.
Molly McHugh nearly gave the Gusties the lead halfway through the period, rifling a short-handed attempt at O'Connor that just missed wide. Holland's goal held through the second, leaving it to the last 20 to decide a winner.
Both teams had a number of chances in the third, but River Falls struck first, as Madison Lavergne scored 6:32 into the period, leaving the Gusties to play from behind for much of the final frame. The Gustie offense peppered O'Connor, and was granted their first power play of the game just two minutes after Lavergne's goal, but a number of well-timed blocked shots from the Falcons kept the puck out of the back of the net with the player advantage for the Gusties.
Kaitlyn Holland nearly evened the score once more for the Gusties a few minutes later, tapping the puck out of the air and behind O'Connor. The crafty attempt danced in front of the goal line, but never crossed it. With two minutes left to play, a penalty for the Gusties put the team on the kill, thwarting the last minute 6-on-5 attempt. River's 2-1 final held, ending the season for the women's hockey team and four of the team's fifth-year seniors.
Holland led the way in her final game wearing the Three Crowns, putting four shots on goal and scoring her 73rd career goal.
Kylie Ligday and
Macy Janssen each tallied three shots of their own in their NCAA Tournament debut. Defensively,
Emily Olson blocked a team-high five shots, while
Kaitlyn Holland and
Sophia Coltvet each blocked two apiece. McCoy wrapped up her historical career for the Gusties with 26 saves between the pipes, and finishes her career as one of the NCAA's best goaltenders.
