O'FALLON, Ill. - No.9 McKendree University women's hockey (11-4-1, 3-4-1 WMCH) grabbed a trio of victories at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex over the weekend with a pair of wins over Rhode Island as well as a win over No.1, undefeated Liberty. The Bearcats win on January 20 against the Flames marked a program first for McKendree, as they were previously 0-9 versus Liberty. McKendree also gained a new all-time points leader in senior center
Camryn Scully, who tallied three points in Saturday's contest against the Rams, bringing her career total to 70. McKendree will host Midland at home on January 27 and 28 to attempt to continue its win streak, which sits at eight games.
Game 1 | W,4-3 | vs No.1 Liberty | January 20
McKendree started the weekend with a five-game winning streak and gained a sixth-straight victory in a challenging outing against the top-ranked Flames, beating Liberty 4-3. McKendree grabbed its first-ever victory over Liberty behind a historic game-winner from
Camryn Scully in overtime.
The No.1 Flames went up 2-0 in the first period with a pair of goals in the first 10 minutes of play. The second period featured a game-tying pair of scores from the Bearcats following extra pressure from a stifling McKendree defense. Senior wing
Quinn Atchison fired the first just a minute and a half into the period off assists by sophomore defender
Aria Groot and senior forward
Juliana Davis. The second score was senior defender Madiosn Puffalt, her first of the year, off a dish-out by junior forward
Jaynee Smothers. Period two ended knotted up at two goals a piece.
McKendree took the lead with Scully's first goal of the game in the third in the fourth minute. Sophomore forward
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe and sophomore defender
Codi Bacon got the assists on the score. Liberty fired the game-tying goal with less than two minutes to go.
In overtime, Scully found a gap in the Liberty defensive line at the half-way point and fired the game-winning goal. Scully's score was her 67th career point, which tied the program record in all-time scoring.
The 4-3 win over the No.1 Flames marked Liberty's first loss in nearly two years and the program's first win.
Senior goaltender
Naomi Leasck grabbed her first win of the year with an outstanding performance, collecting 44 saves during full time in the net.
Scoring Recap
P2 | #14
Quinn Atchison (5) via #13
Aria Groot (11), #23
Juliana Davis (4)
P2 | #9
Madison Puffalt (1) via #41
Jaynee Smothers (6)
P3 | #22
Camryn Scully (7) via #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (6), #17
Codi Bacon (5)
OT | #22
Camryn Scully (8) via #42
Kerstyn Barron (5), #4
Brooke Lannon (7)
Game 2 | W,9-2 | vs Rhode Island | January 21
In the second game of the weekend, McKendree started off quick with two goals in under a minute. The opening goal came from Atchison just 14 seconds in the game off assists by Davis and Scully. Gorgevska-Sharpe fired the second score with a dish-off from sophomore forward
Brittney Kambeitz and Bacon. Freshman forward
Jayna Barnden scored the eventual game-winner in the 15th minute of the first period with Groot and fellow freshman forward
Kerstyn Barron getting the assist.
The Bearcats scored four more goals in the second period with two power-play goals in the latter half. Kambeitz, Scully, Gorgevska-Sharpe, and Barnden each tallied a score in the second period with seven assists on the four scores.
McKendree added two more goals in the third period with sophomore defender Lainy Stiendstra scoring the first and freshman defender
Lilia Brown firing the final goal of the game. Brown's goal at the 14-minute mark of the third period marked her first of the season and her collegiate career.
Freshman goaltender
Rachel Staresinic earned the win in the net with 12 saves in the game, playing full-time.
Scoring Recap
P1 | #14
Quinn Atchison (6) via #23
Juliana Davis (5), #22
Camryn Scully (8)
P1 | #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (5) via #11
Brittney Kambeitz (1), #17
Codi Bacon (6)
P1 | #15
Jayna Barnden (10) via #13
Aria Groot (12), #42
Kerstyn Barron (6)
P2 | #11
Brittney Kambeitz (3) via #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (7), #13
Aria Groot (13)
P2 | #22
Camryn Scully (9) via #57
Lainy Stienstra (4), #14
Quinn Atchison (5)
P2 | #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (6) via #4
Brooke Lannon (8), #41
Jaynee Smothers (7)
P2 | #15
Jayna Barnden (11) via #22
Camryn Scully (9)
P3 | #57
Lainy Stienstra (2) via #15
Jayna Barnden (7)
P3 | #73
Lilia Brown (1) via #17
Codi Bacon (7), #11
Brittney Kambeitz (2)
Game 3 | W,5-1 | vs Rhode Island | January 22
The Bearcats entered the final game of the weekend looking for the sweep of the Rams and the weekend overall. McKendree and Rhode Island went into the second period tied with a null score. McKendree used a strong third period to take the game and the series.
The Bearcats went down 1-0 in the second period during a URI power play but used their own power play to tie the game in the period. McKendree's equalizer came via sophomore forward
Kiley Hasenfratz off assists from Davis and Groot.
The third and final period of the weekend featured another shutout and four-score period for McKendree. Kambeitz, Groot, Smothers, and Barron each fired their own score while Kambeitz goal earned game-winner status.
Junior goaltender
Brianna Burke got the win in the net with 18 saves on the day, including a penalty shot save in the third.
McKendree's win marked an eighth-straight victory for the Bearcats, dating back to November. The Bearcats also remained undefeated at home with the three wins and sit at 7-0-1 this year.
Scoring Recap
P2 | #96
Kiley Hasenfratz (6) via #23 Julian Davis (6), #13
Aria Groot (14)
P3 | #11
Brittney Kambeitz (4) via #57
Lainy Stienstra (5), #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (8)
P3 | #13
Aria Groot (3) via #15
Jayna Barnden (8), #57
Lainy Stienstra (6)
P3 | #41
Jaynee Smothers (4) via #13
Aria Groot (15), #15
Jayna Barnden (9)
P3 | #42
Kerstyn Barron (3) via #15
Jayna Barnden (10), #24
Ashley Hayley (4)
UP NEXT
McKendree women's hockey hosts Midland in a pair of contests at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex on January 27 at 12 PM and January 28 at 3:30 PM.
