(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Oct.3)—The McKendree University hockey team dropped a 7-4 decision to SIU-Edwardsville (Silver) on Saturday at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.
McKendree slips to 2-2 on the year with the loss. The Bearcats will continue a six-game homestand Friday with a contest against Eastern Illinois University. Face-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
Against SIU-Edwardsville, freshman center/wing Ryan Dietl (Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves) (Webster Groves, Mo.) posted his second consecutive two-goal game to lead the Bearcats. Wing Ryan Haeffle (Columbia, Ill.) and freshman defenseman Derek Sallee (Highland, IL/Highland) (Highland, Ill.) netted the other goals for McKendree.
SIU-Edwardsville built a 5-0 lead before the Bearcats cut into the deficit late in the second period. Haeffle scored with just 3:05 left in the period, while Dietl tallied the first of his goals just 47 seconds later to bring McKendree within 5-2.
The Bearcats' rally continued into the third period, as Sallee scored midway through the stanza, and Dietl's second goal with 5:32 remaining brought McKendree within 5-4. However, a pair of goals by the Cougars' Nick Costillo scored twice in the final 4:27 to put the game out of reach.
Sophomore Elliot Schmidt (Belleville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) (Belleville, Ill.) stopped 29 shots in taking the loss in goal for McKendree.
-McK-
