(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct. 10)—The McKendree University hockey team opened the home portion of its 2008-09 schedule with a 9-6 victory Friday evening against Robert Morris College-Peoria.

Junior center Charlie Donze (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Fairview Heights, Ill./Althoff Catholic) registered a hat trick and an assist, while senior center Scott Roberts (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) (Philadelphia, Pa./Bensalem) added a pair of goals as the Bearcats won their third consecutive game. McKendree is now 5-2 on the season and will host Robert Morris-Peoria once again Saturday at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.

McKendree erupted for six goals in the first period, but had to withstand a second-period comeback bid from the Eagles. Donze scored twice in the first period, including an unassisted goal late in the first period to give the Bearcats a 5-1 lead. Roberts then netted his first goal of the contest with just 47 seconds left in the period to give McKendree a 6-1 advantage.

Robert Morris-Peoria battled back and outscored four unanswered goals in the second period to pull within 6-5. But Roberts scored again with 3:07 remaining in the second to lift the Bearcats back out to a two-goal lead. Senior wing Z.T. Evans (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) registered a short-handed goal six minutes into the third period, and Donze completed his hat trick with 2:50 left to close out the scoring.

Freshman wing David Coleman (Greenville, Ill./Fort Zumwalt West) handed out three assists for McKendree, while senior wing Nick Dreyer (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and senior defenseman Chris Donahue (Levittown, Pa./Truman) (Levittown, Pa./Truman) each had two assists.

-McK-