The Gustavus women’s hockey team suffered its first defeat of the season in a hard-fought match against No. 2 UW-River Falls, resulting in a score of 2-0. Despite their best efforts, the Gusties were unable to secure a victory, dropping their overall record to 7-1-0, while UW-River Falls remains undefeated at 10-0-0.
The match was intense from the onset, with the Falcons aggressively attacking the Gustie goaltender, Katie McCoy, managing to take an impressive 11 shots on goal during the first period. On the other end, the Gusties sent six shots towards River Falls’ Jordan O’Connor. Both goaltenders displayed exceptional skill and composure, resulting in a deadlock of 0-0 after the first period.
Unfortunately for the Gusties, UW-River Falls managed to break the tie when Alex Hantge scored the game-winning goal at the 10:55 mark of the second period. This was a setback for the Gusties, but they continued to create scoring opportunities throughout the game, particularly in the third period. However, despite their efforts, they were unable to find the back of the net, ultimately allowing UW-River Falls to secure an empty net goal with 1:26 remaining in the game.
Despite the loss, Katie McCoy delivered an outstanding performance, making a season-high 28 saves in goal for the Gusties. The team also put up a strong offensive effort, with 29 shots on goal, led by Sophia Coltvet with four attempts, and contributions from Hailey Holland, Brooke Remington, Brooke Power, and Hannah Gray.
Looking ahead, the Gusties will have the opportunity to bounce back as they return home to host Aurora for a pair of non-conference games. The matches will take place at Don Roberts Ice Rink on Friday and Saturday, providing the team with a chance to regroup and demonstrate their resilience.
In conclusion, while the loss to UW-River Falls was undoubtedly disappointing, the Gustavus women’s hockey team remains a formidable opponent in NCAA Division III. As they prepare for their upcoming games, there is no doubt that they will be working hard to learn from this experience and come back even stronger in the games to come.