LYNCHBURG, Va. / OXFORD, Ohio - McKendree University women's hockey (2-3) traveled out east over the weekend, going 1-2 overall with a final-day victory over the RedHawks of Miami (OH), 5-2. The Bearcats opened the weekend with back-to-back games against Liberty, falling in both contests to the reigning national champions. McKendree returns home this week against Michigan-Dearborn on Friday before heading to St. Charles to take on local-foe Lindenwood on Saturday and Sunday.
Friday, October 6 | @ Liberty
McKendree began its weekend with a top-10 matchup, facing the defending champions in Liberty, a team the Bearcats defeated the last time the two met.
The game was a battle throughout with the Bearcats grabbing ahold of the contest in the first period. Junior forward
Isobelle Hobbs fired the first goal with an unassisted score in the 10th minute, putting McKendree up 1-0. Liberty struck back with a game-tying goal in the 11th. Junior forward
Kiley Hasenfratz put the Bearcats back in the lead in the 18th minute of the first period, firing her second goal of the year on a dish-out from Hobbs. McKendree led 2-1 at the first intermission.
Liberty and McKendree played out a tough battle in the following two periods with the Flames adding one goal per period, taking the first game of the series, 3-2.
Sophomore goaltender
Rachel Staresinic collected 36 saves in the effort with full-time on ice.
Saturday, October 7 | @ Liberty
McKendree struggled in the second outing of the weekend, falling behind early to the Flames and dropping the contest 7-0. Liberty fired two in the first period with one via power play and followed it up with four scores in the second period. The Bearcats tallied 17 shots on goal overall.
Sunday, October 8 | @ Miami (OH)
The Bearcats looked to rebound following a tough matchup with Liberty to begin the weekend and did just that with a commanding 5-2 victory over the RedHawks.
McKendree broke through quickly with a score in the first period by freshman defense My Kubrakovich, assisted by junior forward
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe. The score marked Kubrakovich's first collegiate goal.
The Bearcats tallied three more scores in the second period, leading 4-1 by the second intermission. Sophomore forward
Kerstyn Barron scored the first goal of the second period, getting the assist via freshman forward
Abby Jeffers. In the ninth minute of the period, junior defense
Lainy Stienstra fired the third Bearcat goal of the contest, receiving the dish-out from Barron. The goals from both Barron and Stienstra were their first of the campaign. The third score of the period and fourth of the game came off dish-offs by Barron and junior defense
Aria Groot with sophomore forward
Jayna Barnden finding the back of the net in a power play. The RedHawks scored their first goal in the 19th minute of period two, cutting the McKendree lead to three scores.
The Bearcats and RedHawks each fired a goal in the third period with junior forward
Kiley Hasenfratz finding a power play goal in the seventh minute with Barron and Barnden getting the assists on the score.
McKendree held Miami to no further scores after the Hasenfratz goal, winning 5-2. Senior goaltender
Brianna Burke got the win in goal with 12 saves and full-time in goal.
UP NEXT
McKendree returns home for a single game with Michigan-Dearborn on Friday, October 13 before heading across town to St. Charles, facing Lindenwood on October 14 and 15.
