(FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill., Feb. 13)—The McKendree University hockey team wrapped up its 2009-10 regular season with a 5-4 victory Saturday afternoon at home against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Gold).
Sophomore wing Nic Rolla (O'Fallon, IL/O'Fallon) (O'Fallon, Ill./SIU-Edwardsville) scored two goals on the day – including the eventual game-winner midway through the third period – as the Bearcats held off a late charge from the Cougars. McKendree won eight of its final nine regular-season games to close with a record of 15-8.
The Bearcats now await word to see if they earned a spot in the Mid-America Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA) Silver Division Tournament. McKendree is the two-time defending MACHA Silver Division Tournament champions.
Rolla also added an assist in Saturday's victory. McKendree also received goals from junior defenseman Kyle Clark (Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo), junior wing Nick Smothers (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and sophomore wing J. David Coleman (Budapest, Hungary/Fort Zumwalt West) (Greenville, Ill./Fort Zumwalt West). Senior wing Zach (Z.T.) Evans (Columbia, Ill./Columbia) handed out two assists for the Bearcats.
McKendree jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to a pair of first-period tallies by Clark and Smothers, followed by Rolla's first goal of the game five minutes into the second period. SIU-Edwardsville rallied within 3-2 by the second intermission before Coleman and Rolla scored 1:24 apart midway through the third period to help the Bearcats regain a three-goal advantage at 5-2.
The visiting Cougars answered quickly with a goal to trim the deficit to 5-3, then added their final goal to pull within 5-4 with just 1:53 to play. But the Bearcats were able to hang on to register the victory and gain a split of the weekend series. SIU-Edwardsville rallied for a 7-6 overtime win Friday night in Fairview Heights.
Senior Mike Stier (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) had a busy afternoon on Saturday, stopping 54 shots to earn the victory in goal for McKendree.
-McK-
