BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University junior
Alyssa Watkins scored twice while the line of Watkins,
Kayla Santl and
Shelby Breiland scored three of the Beavers' four goals to lead BSU to a 4-2 victory over University of St. Thomas Saturday evening in their Western Collegiate Hockey Association series finale at Sanford Center.
The Beavers secured three points in the WCHA standings and take four out of six points in their series with the Tommies (8-18-1, 2-17-1 WCHA) to move back into seventh in the standings with 10 points.
The line of Watkins, Santl and Breiland totaled six of the Beaver's nine points in the game all three recording two points. It was the first multi-goal effort in her career for Watkins while Breiland also recorded two assists for the first time in her career.
Freshman
Eva Filippova once again was dominant in net and stopped 28-of-30 shots to earn her fourth win of the season and improve to 4-7-1.
Bemidji State opened the scoring just 2:33 after the opening faceoff when
Taylor Nelson benefited from a Tommie defender who indirectly deflected her centering pass past a stretching UST goaltender Olivia King.
The Tommies would answer back before the period's end when Ella Boerger converted on a tic-tac-toe passing play for her team-leading ninth goal of the season to even the scored at one heading into the first intermission.
Bemidji State retook the one-goal lead in the second period when
Alyssa Watkins sniped the puck over the glove of King from the left circle to score her first of the season.
The lead would last through the middle frame but 2:12 into the third period, St. Thomas' Haley Maxwell tied the game for the second time with her second goal of the season.
The Beavers remained steady once again and 3:06 later, Watkins scored her second of the game with another snipe past the glove of King.
Filippova and the Beavers' defense then took over and after stopping the next nine UST shots, Breiland blocked a shot and Santl picked up the rebound to then shoot it into the empty net to clinch the Beaver victory with 1:06 to play.
It was the first Beaver victory in regulation at home this season and first since Feb. 4 of last year.
Bemidji State will now take to the road and travel east to Columbus, Ohio to face top-ranked Ohio State University Feb. 2-3.
For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X 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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