SAINT PETER, Minn. – Less than 24 hours removed from a tough overtime loss to Hamline, the Gustavus women’s hockey team got their revenge with an 2-1 overtime victory against the Pipers this afternoon. With the victory, the Gusties move to 4-1-1 overall with a 3-1-0 mark in the MIAC while the Pipers fall to 5-1-0 with a 3-1-0 mark in conference.
About the team’s performance coach Mike Carroll said, “We played a poor first period today and got outshot 15-2 but Amanda [DiNella] (Sr., Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.) kept us in the game. We had a gut-check in the locker room and could have gone one way or the other. I was really proud of the girls for battling and we played great in the second and third and made up the shot advantage and found a way to win in overtime and returned the favor from last night. Our team grew up a lot this weekend and it was fun to see.”
The Pipers picked up right where they left off in last night’s contest by jumping out to quick start and scoring at 8:02 of the first period to give Hamline a 1-0 advantage.
The Gusties were playing from behind for the first time this season and the young team showed resiliency as Lilia Scheid (Fy., Stillwater, Minn.) scored her third goal of the season off an assist from Allie Stanger (Sr., Paynesville, Minn.) at the 9:52 mark of the second period to even the game at 1-1.
The two teams battled back and forth and went scoreless for the final period and a half and the game was sent to overtime.
In the overtime period the Gusties were in the final 30 seconds of a power play when they went into all out attack mode and took two shots on net that were saved before Sydney Henrichs (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.) took a shot that Stephanie Anderson (Fy., Blaine, Minn.) deflected in for the goal and the Gustie victory.
Coming into today’s contest the Pipers have outshot opponents by a margin of 212-129 but in today’s contest the Gusties outshot them 32-31.
Coach Carroll attributes the offensive spurt to his depth.”They decided to rely on two lines toward the end of the game last night and today they did the same and I was able to play three lines and spot a fourth so we were more well rested at the end of the game. We also pushed back today when they pushed us and it was and it was really good to see.”
Amanda DiNella (Sr., Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.) got the start in net for the Gusties and saved 30 Piper shots while allowing just the one goal.
About DiNella’s performance today, and her breaking of the school record last night, Carroll said, “For our coaching staff and Steve [Carroll], our goalie coach especially, it’s so rewarding to see how well she has played and how far she come from the first time she set foot on campus. She’s always had the tools and it took her a bit to figure the college game out but she battles and she competes all the time. The record shows that she’s been someone we’ve been leaning on but I know that she would be the first to say that this win today is more important than her record last night.”
The Gusties will next be in action on Tuesday when they host St. Scholastica for a 7 p.m. contest.