BEMIDJI, Minn. – For the first time since 2016, the Bemidji State University women's hockey team scored three power-play goals en route to a 6-3 victory over Lindenwood University and earned a series sweep of the Lions. Freshman Raeley Carney scored two goals on the power play to score her first and second career goals while sophomore Adriana Van De Leest totaled four assists including three on the power play.
 
Van De Leest is first skater since Kiki Radke (2g-2a) recorded four points on Nov. 23, 2019 and her four assists are the most assists in a game since Montana Vichorek recorded four on Feb. 18, 2012, a program record by a BSU defenseman.
 
It was Lindenwood who would score first in the game despite the end result. Morgan Neitzke scored her second goal of the series 9:52 into the first period after forcing a Beaver turnover at the blueline and beat goaltender Abbie Thompson on a breakaway. The Beavers responded four minutes later when Carney scored her first collegiate goal off a one-timer while on the Beavers first power-play opportunity.
 
Carney then put the Beavers in front 2:39 into the second period with her second power-play goal after a loose puck in front trickled out to her stick and was able to put the finishing touch on it. The Beavers weren't finished there and just 1:40 later, Genevieve Hendrickson extended the Beavers lead to 3-1 for her first goal dawning the green and white. BSU would earn a power-play within the next two minutes and sophomore Claire Vekich scored a power-play goal for her first of the season to make it 4-1 and chase goaltender Julia Maguire out of the net and was replaced by Emily Finach.
 
Bemidji State lacked the structure defensively after taking the three-goal lead and Neitzke potted her second goal of the game at the 8:22 mark and was followed by Ryann Perettt for her first goal of the season at 13:04 to pull within one of the Beavers before the end of the second period.
 
The Beavers regained control in the third period and goals from Taylor Nelson (3:49) and Gabbie Smith (11:34) sealed victory and a series sweep for Bemidji State.
 
A total of 11 Beavers recorded a point in the game highlighted by Van De Leest's four assists while Carney (2g), Smith (1g-1a) and freshman Mya Headrick (2a) each had multiple points.
 
Goaltender Abbie Thompson made her first career start in net for the Beavers and earned her first career win after she stopped 13-of-16 shots from the Lions.
 
Bemidji State continues non-conference play next weekend and will travel to Potsdam, N.Y., to take on No. 9 Clarkson University for a two-game series, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter or Instagram (@BSUBeavers), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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