The Gustavus Adolphus women’s hockey team staked their claim to at least a share of the league title Friday night with an emphatic 10-0 victory Saint Benedict in St. Cloud. Eight Gusties scored goals, including two apiece from Mari Gunderson (So., Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) and Christine Wicker (So., Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley).
Alyssa Saunders put the Gusties on the board just two minutes, 26 seconds into the game with an unassisted goal. Gustavus would score three more times in the period with Laura Hillman (Fy., Albert Lea, Minn.), Kelly Crandall (Sr. Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong), and Wicker also lighting the lamp.
The Gusties added five more goals in the second period and another in the third period to improve to 20-0 all-time against the Blazers.
Gunderson (2g, 1a) and Crandall (1g, 2a) each had three-point evenings, while seven other Gustavus players had multiple point evenings. Wicker finished with two goals, both on the power-play, and Jessica Doig (So., New Prague, Minn.), Jenna Johnson (Fy., Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View), and Molly Doyle (Jr., Eagan, Minn./Eagan) each posted a goal and an assist. Melissa Mackley (Fy., Burnsville, Minn.), Margaret Dorer (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./St. Anthony), and Brigitte Bartholdi (So., Cloquet, Minn.) each had a two-assist night. Andrea Peterson (Sr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) was the final Gustie to record a point, notching an assist on Gunderson’s second goal late in the second period.
Gustavus finished 4-of-6 on the power-play. Saint Ben’s was 0-of-3 with the extra skater.
Sarah Windhorst (Fy., Eden Prairie, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret) stopped eight shots without allowing a goal during the first two periods to move to 10-0-0 on the year in goal. Kitty Hurley (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn./The Blake School) made three saves during the third period in relief. Sarah Zweber stopped 27 of 37 shots and recorded the loss.
Gustavus (20-2-0, 14-1 MIAC), which locked up the top seed in the upcoming MIAC Playoffs will host the Blazers (2-8-5, 2-14-5 MIAC) at 2 p.m. Saturday to conclude the series.