Lady Dogs Sweep MSU

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

The No. 9 University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team found its offense early and often, overwhelming Minnesota State University, Mankato 4-1 to sweep the Mavericks on the weekend in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.

The Bulldogs, in the midst of a three-game winning streak, spread around the scoring, getting goals from four different players, and two points from three different skaters — Gabbie Hughes (1g, 1a), Sydney Brodt (2a) and Ryleigh Houston (2a).  In all, eight different players got on the score sheet, including Bulldog goaltender Maddie Rooney.

Sophomore Anna Klein gave UMD a lead it would never relinquish 12:03 into the first period.  Gabbie Hughes drove to the net from the right circle, and after drawing three Maverick players, slid the puck over to Klein waiting on the back door who one-timed it past MSU netminder Calla Frank.

Hughes added to her already extensive highlight-reel trove of goals at the 3:35 mark of the second period, securing an assist for Ryleigh Houston and Rooney in the process.  The sophomore center puck handled and poked the puck through a Maverick defenseman’s legs before roofing the puck over Frank’s shoulder for the 2-0 lead. Ashton Bell made it a 3-0 game 3:30 later with a power play goal, burying a cross-crease from Sydney Brodt for her seventh  point in four games.

Monique Aanenson stretched UMD’s lead to 4-0 3:03 into the final stanza, skating from behind the net and shoveling the puck through with her backhanded.  The goal was assisted by Kasundra Betinol, her first collegiate point as a Bulldog.

MSU finally got on the board at 1:12 later, but suffered its fourth-straight  loss and falls to 2-4-0 overall and 0-4-0 in WCHA play. Frank had 34 saves, while her counterpart in net, Rooney, had 12 for UMD.  The Bulldogs outshot the Mavericks 38-13 in the game.

UMD (3-1-0, 2-0-0) heads west to Bemidji, Minn. next weekend to face Bemidji State University in the Sanford Center Friday at 6:07p.m. and 3:07 p.m. Saturday.