UW-River Falls 4, Gustavus 2 (Box) | Photo Gallery
ST. PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus Adolphus College women’s hockey team certainly made it a game, but ended up falling just short, as it suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to No. 8 University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Friday evening at Don Roberts Ice Rink. The defeat drops the Gusties to 3-6-3 overall, while the Falcons improve to 10-2-0.
After a back and forth first period, UW-River Falls got on the board first when Amy Auran notched a shorthanded goal on a Gustavus power play opportunity at the 4:56 mark of the second period.
The Gusties struck back quickly though, when Katy Fuller (So., Minneapolis, Minn.) battled for and gained control of a loose puck in the right corner, flipped a pass to fellow second-year Erica Power (Lakeville, Minn.) at the right post who proceeded to backhand a goal over Falcon goalie Angie Hall’s right shoulder to tie the game at 1-1. The goal and assist allowed Fuller and Power to extend their point streaks to four apiece and momentum seemed to shift in Gustavus’s favor.
Two Gustie penalties to close the second period forced the Black and Gold to go on the penalty kill for much of the final four minutes of the second and the first 42 seconds of the third. However, the Gusties killed each and despite the Falcons controlling possession of the puck for much of the third period, kept the visitors out of the goal to force overtime.
In the extra period, UW-River Falls’ Carly Moran took control of a Gustie turnover just 28 seconds into the period and scored the game-winner for the Falcons to give them the series sweep. Hall earned the win in goal for the visitors after allowing one goal and making 17 saves. Amanda DiNella (Fy., Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.) suffered the loss for Gustavus between the pipes, but made several difficult saves throughout the contest to keep the Gusties in the contest.
Gustavus now has a month off of competition before returning to game action on Friday, January 8 in a road game against the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.