SAINT PETER, Minn. - In the second game of a weekend series against No. 9 Adrian, No. 8 women's hockey was held scoreless for the first time this season, losing 2-0. The Gusties had four opportunities on the power-play and a flurry of chances with the net empty late in the third, but could not find the back of the net.
After a night of rest, the bad taste of defeat was clearly still with Adrian, determined to make the trip back to Michigan with a series split. An early 12-9 shot advantage for the Bulldogs helped apply pressure across the period, including the first five shots on net of the contest. Just past the halfway mark in the period, the Gusties were given their first power-play opportunity of the game, but Adrian proved once again why they are statistically the best penalty kill in the country, allowing three shots on goal but killing off the penalty with no harm done. A two-on-one opportunity for Adrian allowed what would prove to be the only goal allowed for Gustavus goalie
Lily Timmons (So., Lake Elmo, Minn.), putting the Gusties in a 1-0 hole after the first period.
Just seven seconds after the first intermission, Gustavus was called for tripping, setting up Adrian's first power-play of the game and their only of the period. Adrian forced three saves from Timmons, but were called for holding to set up 19 seconds of 4-on-4 hockey before giving Gustavus their second power-play chance of the game. The opportunities were there, with two shots on goal and two shots blocked on the player advantage, but once again, Adrian was up to the test. The same followed suit just six minutes later, this time with three shots on goal and two blocked.
The third period looked to be where the Gusties would equalize, taking 12 shots on goal compared to Adrian's two. The Bulldogs took four of their six total shot attempts in a five minute window early in the third period and then were held without a shot, besides their empty net goal from the length of the ice, for the final 8:45 of the game. In that time, the Gusties took 12 shots, including nine on goal, but were held scoreless.
Lily Mortenson (Sr., Champlin, Minn.) and
Eva Nelson (So., Buffalo, Minn.) had the most shots for Gustavus, each registering five shots on goal, just over 30 percent of the Gusties' 32 throughout the contest, followed closely behind by first-year
Kayleigh Olson (Delano, Minn.) with four. Gustavus once again dominated in the faceoff dot, winning 38 of 61 faceoffs and blocked eight shots in the loss.
Now, the Gustavus women's hockey team travels to Europe for a European tour over Christmas break, before returning to Don Roberts Ice Rink on January 10th for another nationally-ranked matchup against No. 1 UW-River Falls.
