BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University Women's Hockey defenseman
Khloe Lund factored in on all four goals for the Beavers Saturday afternoon and sophomore
Abbie Thompson made 30 saves to backstop the Beavers to a 4-1 and Western Collegiate Hockey Association series split with University of St. Thomas at Sanford Center.
The win was the first win for the Beavers since Nov. 26 and snapped an 11-game losing streak as BSU returned to the win column.
It was the first four-point effort for the junior from Thief River Falls in Lund who also scored her first collegiate goal in the game which turned out to be the game winner.
Bemidji State came out ready to play in the first period and struck first when Lund fired a puck that bounced off the end wall and right onto the stick of senior
Reece Hunt who buried it just four seconds into a Beavers power play.
The goal at the 12:50 mark of the first period would be the fourth goal of the season for Hunt and her first since Jan. 13.
Bemidji State skated into the the first intermission with the one-goal lead but just 2:48 into the second period, Lund found the back of the net on her first collegiate goal after a seeing-eye puck found its way through traffic and past goaltender Saskia Maurer.
However, the Tommies made it interesting just 3:10 later when Breja Parent scored her second goal of the season to pull St. Thomas back within one.
The Beavers weren't fazed and with 6:15 left in the period, junior
Taylor Nelson scored a highlight-reel goal after making a defender miss and sniping the puck short-side for her third goal of the season and send the Beavers into the second intermission with the two-goal lead.
St. Thomas upped its attack in the final frame but Thompson remained strong in net turning aside all 11 shots by the Tommies in the period. The Beavers would put the nail in the coffin with 11:13 to play when
Claire Vekich scored her team-leading sixth goal of the season.
The three-goal lead was nice for the Beavers but not needed as Thompson was unbeatable and lead the Beavers to their first victory in 70 days.
It was a career-effort for the sophomore from Forest Lake, Minn., who made a career-high 30 saves in her first victory since Sept. 24 and second of her career. She improved her season record to 2-2-0 with the win.
Bemidji State finished the game with the one power-play goal on three opportunities while its penalty kill was showed up big in key moments including killing-off a five-on-three late in the second period. The Beavers' penalty kill unit finished the game a perfect 3-for-3.
The Beavers improve to 5-24-1 on the season and earn their second WCHA win and are 2-22-0. They will now hit the road for their final road trip of the regular season next weekend and travel to Mankato, Minn., to take on Minnesota State University, Mankato Feb. 10-11.
For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter or Instagram (@BSUBeaversWHKY), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
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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