Duluth, MN - The Saint Scholastica Saints women's hockey team rivaled tonight against the Ole's of St. Olaf in a conference matchup. The Saints struggled to take advantage of their attacks, and were down 2-0 at the end of the 2nd. Grace Chapman (Blaine, MN/Blaine HS) was able to pull one back, however it was too late as the Ole's had already scored another two before that. The matchup ended 4-1 in favor of the Ole's.
How it Happened
1st Period
The Saints came out strong to start the period, with Bailey Coole (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) firing the first shot just 30 seconds in. Shortly after, Morgan Mitchell (Farmington, MN/Farmington HS) and Gabby Gamst (Moose Lake, Minn./Moose Lake HS) had back-to-back chances to grab an early lead, but the Ole's goalie stood firm.
At 6:26, freshman Grace Chapman (Blaine, MN/Blaine HS) was given a counterattack opportunity but was also denied. The Saints continued pressing, and at 9:28, Hannah Martin (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) registered a shot on goal, followed by two consecutive attempts from Chapman, all turned away despite the power play advantage.
While the Saints dominated offensively, they also held their ground defensively. The Ole's created plenty of chances, but goalie Makenzie Cole (Cohasset, Minn./Grand Rapids HS) came up with key saves to keep the game level. Victoria Nelson (Mahtomedi, MN/Mahtomedi HS) and Jenna Horvat (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS) also added to the Saints' offensive push but couldn't break through.
At 16:41, the Ole's found a way past the Saints' defense and capitalized to take a 1-0 lead before the break. The Saints were outshot by their opponents 15-12 in the period.
2nd Period
The Ole's came out firing to start the second period, registering six shots in the first three minutes to keep the Saints on their heels.
Penalty trouble put the Saints in some tough defensive situations, but they still found opportunities to push forward in search of an equalizer. Kendra Royer (Duluth, Minn./Duluth Marshall HS) and Addie Mach (Chanhassen, MN/Chanhassen HS) also created promising chances just past the midway point of the period.
At the 16-minute mark, the Saints unleashed a barrage of shots, with Sara Parent (Otsego, Minn./Rogers HS), Paige Blattner (Avon, Minn./River Lakes HS), Hanley Block (Alexandria, Minn./Alexandria HS), and Lyndi Schubert (Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville HS) all testing the Ole's goalie. Despite the offensive surge, they couldn't find the back of the net. Just moments later, the Ole's capitalized on the shift in momentum, doubling their lead at 17:31 to make it 2-0.
The Saints continued pressing late in the period, firing a few more shots before the buzzer, but they couldn't break through. The period ended with the Saints trailing 2-0, as they were outshot 15-12 despite generating several close chances.
3rd Period
The Saints suffered an unfortunate early setback in the final period, conceding at 1:46 after an initial save trickled over the line, extending the Ole's lead to 3-0.
Still under pressure, Cole came up big with a series of seven saves while the Saints were short-handed. However, the Ole's struck again off a power play at 5:19, pushing their lead to 4-0.
The Saints responded positively, quickly getting on the board just a minute later. Chapman found the back of the net at 6:19 off an assist from Morgan Mitchell (Farmington, MN/Farmington HS), cutting the deficit to 4-1.
Annica Walters (Albertville, MN/St. Michael-Albertville HS) nearly added another at 12:46, but her shot was cleared off the line. The Saints continued to press, with Block and Suzi Vidmar (Boise, Idaho./Timberline HS) both testing the Ole's defense, but they couldn't break through again.
Despite building momentum after their first goal, the Saints were unable to close the gap further. Cole had a standout performance in net, finishing with 49 saves in the 4-1 loss.
Up Next - The Saints will be traveling tomorrow to Northfield, MN to face the Ole's of St. Olaf again on the road in search of a win. Puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m.
