SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Bemidji State University women's hockey team earned its first win of the 2016-17 season Friday night after a 2-1 victory over Syracuse University. The Beavers (1-0-0, 0-0-0 WCHA) fell down early to the Orange (0-1-0, 0-0-0 CHA) but rallied back with two unanswered goals.

Junior Reilly Fawcett scored the game winning goal with 12:31 remaining in the third period while sophomore Emily Bergland scored the Beavers' first goal of the season in the second period. Senior Brittni Mowat stopped 11-of-12 shots by the Orange to pick up her first win of the season.

Syracuse opened the scoring with eight minutes remaining in the first period when Jessica Sibley scored on a five-on-three power-play. Bemidji State responded when Bergland found the back of the net for her fourth career goal five minutes into the second period. Fawcett then followed with the game-winning goal seven minutes into the final period. Both goals for the Beavers would be unassisted.

The Beavers outshot the Orange 21-12 and dominated the face-off circle winning 33 face-offs to just 19 for SU. Syracuse scored once on the power play with five chances while Bemidji State went 0-for-6 with the extra skater.

The Beavers and Orange will wrap-up the two game series tomorrow at 2 p.m. CT.

For more information on the Bemidji State hockey program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu—