ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team pulled within one late in the third period but could not complete the comeback in a 3-1 loss to No. 9 St. Cloud State University Saturday afternoon in St. Cloud, Minn. The loss moved the Beavers to 1-7-0 overall and 0-6-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, while the Huskies improved to 8-2-0 overall and 6-0-0 in league action.
After trailing 2-0 through two periods,
Talya Hendrickson brought Bemidji State within one by scoring a power-play goal with 5:08 remaining. The Beavers pulled their goaltender in search of the tying goal, but Payton Holloway sealed the game with an empty-net tally in the closing seconds.
St. Cloud State opened the scoring 9:48 into the first period when Sophie Olson scored her first goal of the season. Madelyn Lee and Holloway collected assists on the play.
Bemidji State generated 10 shots on goal during the opening period, matching the Huskies' total, but St. Cloud State goaltender Alexis Ehrman turned each attempt aside.
Sophia Villanueva stopped nine of the 10 shots she faced to keep the Beavers within one at the first intermission.
The Huskies doubled their advantage 7:08 into the second period. Sofianna Sundelin scored her seventh goal of the season off assists from Maria Mikaelyan and Alice Sauriol, sending St. Cloud State into the second intermission with a 2-0 lead.
Bemidji State broke through on its fourth power-play opportunity of the afternoon. After St. Cloud State was called for tripping, Hendrickson scored just 24 seconds into the advantage at 14:52 of the third period.
Elly Klepinger and
Davina Davis earned assists on Hendrickson's first goal of the season.
The Beavers pulled Villanueva for an extra attacker with 1:45 remaining, but Holloway found the empty net with 21 seconds left to complete the 3-1 final. Sauriol and Marie Moran assisted on the goal.
Villanueva stopped 27 of the 29 shots she faced during 58:36 in net. Hendrickson led Bemidji State with six shots on goal, while
Morgan Smith added three. The Beavers finished with a 24-30 disadvantage in shots but won 23 of the game's 41 faceoffs.
Bemidji State converted one of its four power-play opportunities and held St. Cloud State scoreless on two chances. Ehrman stopped 23 shots to earn the victory for the Huskies.
The Beavers will continue play on the road next weekend and travel to Columbus, Ohio to face No. 1 Ohio State University October 30-31.
For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit
BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on
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Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association 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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