(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 23)—There were plenty of big offensive performances as the McKendree University hockey team cruised to an 11-1 victory Saturday at home against Western Illinois University.
Sophomore wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./SIUE) had his fifth consecutive multiple-goal game on Saturday, scoring five goals to lead the way for the Bearcats. Freshman center Dylan Mueth (New Baden, IL/Belleville East) (New Baden, Ill./Belleville East) chipped in with three goals, while senior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and freshman wing Josh Hasamear (Collinsville, IL/Althoff Catholic) (Collinsville, Ill./Althoff Catholic) each handed out four assists as McKendree improved to 5-2-1 overall.
McKendree scored the first six goals in the contest, including a 4-0 outburst in the first period. Sophomore wing Matthew Seelbach (Brentwood, MO/John Burroughs) (Brentwood, Mo./John Burroughs) started the scoring frenzy midway through the opening period before freshman center Ryan Newton (Highland, Ill./) (Highland, Ill.) made it 2-0 just under two minutes later. Rolla closed out the first period with a pair of goals to give the Bearcats a four-goal cushion.
Mueth scored his first goal of the contest six minutes into the second period before Rolla added his third goal of the afternoon to push the Bearcats' lead to 6-0. After Western Illinois netted its only goal of the game to pull within 6-1, Rolla scored for the fourth time at the 4:27 mark of the second. Freshman center Carlos Galvan (Mulvane, KS/Mulvane) (Mulvane, Kan.) found the scoring column just under a minute later, and Mueth tallied for the second time with exactly two minutes left in the stanza.
With just eight seconds left in the second period, Rolla completed his busy scoring day with a shorthanded goal. Mueth finished off his hat trick with the only goal of the third period for McKendree.
Junior wing David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) and junior defenseman Derek Hartung (Belleville, IL/Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) each helped out with two assists for McKendree.
Senior Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) played the first two periods in goal to earn the victory for McKendree. Stier made 18 saves to grab his fifth win of the year. Junior Nathan Campo (Westmont, IL/Downers Grove South) (Westmont, Ill./Downers Grove South) stopped all five shots he faced in the third period.
The Bearcats will play host to Bradley University on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the U.S. Ice Sports Complex in Fairview Heights.
