O'Fallon, Ill. - McKendree University men's DI hockey recovered from a loss on Friday night with a Saturday afternoon victory over the visiting Warrions of Waldorf University. On Friday, the Bearcats dropped the MCH match, 2-3, to the Warriors and then dominated in a 7-2 victory on Saturday afternoon. 

Friday's Match:
The Bearcats were unable to complete the comeback on Friday night against Waldorf after scoring a second goal in the closing minute to cut the deficit to one goal. The Warriors of Waldorf University struck first in the initial weekend matchup between the programs, firing a score just over nine minutes into the match. McKendree, which was looking for its first home victory of the season, evened the contest at one goal each in the opening minutes of the second period with senior forward Nikita Sokov collecting a goal. The goal by Sokov was assisted on by senior defenseman Trevor Wolfe and graduate forward Aleksy Ivasenko. 

Waldorf collected its second goal of the night only 2 minutes into the third period, going back up by one score over the Bearcats, The Warriors also tacked on one more goal with four minutes remaining in the game, which would serve as the game-winner. McKendree added a second score with seven seconds left on the clock and in the game. The goal was scored by sophomore forward Lucas Brown with fellow sophomore and forward Brad Richardson getting the assist on the play. 

McKendree was unable to convert in the final seven seconds of action, dropping the first match of the weekend.

Saturday's Match:
McKendree entered the second and final game of the weekend looking to get a first win at home this season. 

The Bearcats posted a three score lead to open the match with one goal coming in the fist period from junior forward Chris Noble, only 1:17 into the game. The Noble goal was assisted on by the graduate forward Ivasenko, who also scored the second goal for the Bearcats in the game. Ivasenko's goal was a breakaway, unassisted score. The third score for McKendree came from Israel-native and freshman forward Yuval Halpert and was assisted on by junior forward Noah Scrum. Halpert's goal put the Bearcats up 3-0 only seven minutes into the second period. 

Waldorf scored its first goal of the match nearly half way through the second period, cutting the Bearcats' lead to two. The Bearcats kept their lead at three for the end of the second period with a score from junior forward Cory Robinson which was assisted on by Sokov and Richardson. 

Waldorf added its second goal of the afternoon just before the half-way point of the third period but the Bearcats poured on following the Warriors second score. 

The senior forward Sokov collected a hat trick in the final period with three goals in six minutes, putting the Bearcats up 7-2 over the Warriors. Sokov fired his first with 9:28 remaining off passes from Robinson and Ivasenko, his second came with 5:49 left off another pass from Robinson with a second assist to Brown, and the cap-off goal in 19th minute of the period off a dish-put from Richardson. 

The win marked McKendree's first victory at home, McKendree Metro Rec Plex, this season and snapped a three-game losing streak at the home ice. 

UP NEXT:
McKendree men's DI hockey will hit the road for a match in Norman, Oklahoma against Oklahoma on Thursday, November 11 at 7 P.M.

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