Lebanon, Ill. - McKendree University women's hockey (1-1-0) split its season-opening weekend with local-rival Maryville, taking the season-opener on Friday by 3-2 score but narrowly dropped game two on the road on Saturday, 5-4. The Bearcats earned their first victory over the Saints since October 2021 on Friday night but were unable to open up the year with a clean sweep in a typical hard-fought battle versus the Saints. McKendree prepares for its next contests on the road on October 8-10 with two games in Virginia at Liberty and a single contest in Ohio against Miami.
Friday, September 22 | McKedree Metro Rec Plex - O'Fallon, Ill.
The Bearcats entered their opening weekend looking to continue the successes which they found throughout the latter of last season, facing a foe immediately in Maryville.
McKendree struck first with a score in the first period, taking a 1-0 lead on a power play in the ninth minute. Sophomore forward
Jayna Barnden gathered and fired the first goal of the season, getting the assist from junior defense
Aria Groot and freshman defense
Abby Jeffers. McKendree held the 1-0 lead through the rest of the first period.
In the second 20 minutes of action, the hosting-Bearcats fired two more scores, both coming via power play opportunities. The first goal of the second period was recorded by sophomore forward
Janaya Laqua, who got the dish-out from junior forward
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe and senior forward
Jaynee Smothers. McKendree led 2-0 in the 12th minute of the second period. Only a few minutes later, McKendree found the back of the net again with Barnden scoring her second of the year during a power play as junior defense
Aria Groot and junior forward
Kiley Hasenfratz both tallied assists.
Maryville battled back late, putting up two goals in the third period and the final six minutes but the Bearcats held-off a constant attack for the win. Sophomore goaltender
Rachel Staresinic collected the win in goal, grabbing 23 saves in the victory.
The win marked McKendree's first win over the Saints since October 2021.
Scoring Recap:
P1 | #15
Jayna Barnden via #13
Aria Groot, #3
Abby Jeffers
P2 | #14
Janaya Laqua via #7
Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe, #41
Jaynee Smothers
P2 | #15
Jayna Barnden via #13
Aria Groot, #96
Kiley Hasenfratz
Saturday, September 23 | Maryville University Hockey Center - Chesterfield, Mo.
McKendree traveled across St. Louis for the second game of the weekend and looked to snap a four-game skid in Chesterfield, dating back to October 2021.
The Bearcats again fired the first goal as freshman forward
Julia Koski tallied her first collegiate score with freshman defense
Mya Kubrakovich dished-out the assist. McKendree led 1-0 until the Saints tied the game with just over five minutes left in the first period.
McKendree and Maryville went back and forth in the second period, with Koski firing her second career goal and then junior forward
Kiley Hasenfratz firing the third of the game. On Koski's second score, Hasenfratz and junior forward
Isobelle Hobbs collected assists. Hasenfratz got the dish-off from sophomore forward
Kerstyn Barron and Groot. Maryville powered through in the second 20 minutes of play, scoring four goals to lead 5-3 at the second intermission period.
The Bearcats battled back late with a score in the 18th minute of the third period, which cut the lead to just one goal at 5-4. McKendree's fourth goal was fired by freshman forward
Abby Jeffers, the first of her collegiate career, with Groot and Barron adding assists on the goal. The Saints held off a strong Bearcats' attack late to stave-off a McKendree weekend sweep.
Senior goaltender
Brianna Burke held net for the Bearcats, collecting 23 saves in the effort.
The scores by Koski and Jeffers marked the first of their collegiate careers. Jeffers recorded her first collegiate point with an assist in the Friday night game.
Scoring Recap:
P1 | #40
Julia Koski via #6
Mya Kubrakovich
P2 | #40
Julia Koski via #96
Kiley Hasenfratz, #2
Isobelle Hobbs
P2 | #96
Kiley Hasenfratz via #22
Kerstyn Barron, #13
Aria Groot
P3 | #3
Abby Jeffers via #13
Aria Groot, #22
Kerstyn Barron
UP NEXT
McKendree women's hockey hits the road for a trio of games out east, taking on Liberty on October 8 and 9 before facing Miami (OH) on October 10.
