MINOT, N.D. - McKendree University women's hockey collected a second-straight victory with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Minot State on Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats improved to 2-2-1 on the year with the pair of victories in North Dakota after beginning the 2022-23 campaign winless over the first three games. Senior wing Quinn Atchison played late-game hero with a game-winning score in the 13th minute of the third period. The Bearcats face off against Minot State once again on Sunday afternoon in North Dakota before concluding their road trip. The victory marks the first win over Minot State in program history. 

The Bearcats took heavy advantage during power plays, firing all three scores against the Beavers in power play scenarios. McKendree went 3/8 overall in power plays while Minot State went 0/5. 

McKendree took the lead early with a score by senior forward Juliana Davis, her first of the year, on a power play with freshman defender Brooke Lannon dishing-out another assist. The Bearcats then held a 1-0 advantage over the host well into the second 20 minutes of play. Minot State pulled the game to a 1-1 knot-up in the second period.

The hosting-Beavers then took the lead under eight minutes into the third period, holding the 2-1 edge for just five minutes. In the 13th minute, McKendree found itself in a power play advantage and tied the game up at two goals each. The Bearcats second score came from junior forward Jaynee Smothers as freshman forward Jayna Barnden and Lannon. It marked Lannon's fourth assist of the season and Barnden's second. 

Nearly 45 seconds after the tying goal, the Bearcats struck once again with Atchison scoring at the 12:56 mark off a pass from sophomore defender Aria Groot. The goal was Atchison's first of the campaign while it was Groot's third assist this year.

McKendree held off an aggressive and strong Minot State attack for the remainder of the game, taking its first win over the Beavers in its history. 

Junior Brianna Burke held the net for McKendree in full time on Saturday with 26 saves on 28 shots on-goal faced. 

SCORING RECAP
P1 | #23 F Juliana Davis via #4 Brooke Lannon (PP)
P3 | #41 F Jaynee Smothers via #15 Jayna Barnden, #4 Brooke Lannon (PP)
P3 | #14 W Quinn Atchison via #13 Aria Groot (PP)

UP NEXT
McKendree women's hockey finishes up its North Dakota road trip with a 1 PM puck drop against Minot State on Sunday afternoon. 

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