BEMIDJI, Minn. – A total team effort by the Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team powered the Beavers to a 4-0 shutout victory over University of St. Thomas Saturday afternoon to complete the Beavers' first home series sweep of the season. Fifth-year senior Kerigan Dowhy turned aside all 20 shots by the Tommies to earn her fifth career shutout while the line of junior Reece Hunt and freshmen Alyssa Watkins and Claire Vekich combined for two of the team's four goals.

Bemidji State improves to 10-13-3 (7-13-2 WCHA) and earn another three points in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings to bring its season total to 22 and a point percentage of .333 to sit sixth in the standings.

The Beavers dominated since the game's first puck drop and totaled a season-high 54 shots on goal in the game including a 16-6 shot advantage in the first period. Hunt opened the game's scoring 11:19 into the first period with her sixth goal of the season.

Bemidji State carried the one-goal lead into the second period but extended its lead to 2-0 11:04 into the middle frame when senior captain Claudia Verkerke batted in a loose puck in front of the crease to score her first collegiate goal a day after recording her first collegiate point. The Beavers didn't stop there and with just 1:41 left in the second period the line of Hunt-Watkins-Vekich struck again when Vekich scored her seventh goal of the season.

The Beavers carried the three-goal lead into the final period and 5:27 into the third period, sophomore Taylor Nelson scored her fourth goal of the season and first since December 17 for the four-goal lead. Bemidji State would smother the Tommies' attack during the final 20 minutes and held UST to just three shots during the period while totaling 24 itself.

The Beavers' 54 shots on goal was not only the highest total this season but also the highest since Feb. 29, 2020, a four-overtime playoff thriller at University of Minnesota Duluth. The 54 shots is the ninth most in program history. 

Dowhy earned her fifth career shutout after stopping all 20 shots by the Tommies and earns her first win since the first game of the season on October 1 where she also shutout the Tommies. She now has a season record of 2-4-0. 

Bemidji State has now won three consecutive games and hopes to carry its momentum to Ridder Arena next weekend when the Beavers travel to University of Minnesota for a two-game series against the Gophers, Feb. 4-5.

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). 

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