ANN ARBOR, Mich. | Yost Ice Arena - McKendree University women's hockey (6-2-0, 3-1-0 WMCH) closed out its Michigan road trip on Saturday and Sunday, splitting the final pair of games this week with a shutout over Grand Valley State, 5-0, but dropped the finale 3-2 at Michigan. The Bearcats went 2-1 overall on the weekend, upending the defending national champions on October 4 with a win over the Adrian Bulldogs before the battles against the Lakers and Wolverines. McKendree gets back on its home ice for its next two games with a match up against Rhode Island on October 11 and 12 at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex.

October 5 @ Grand Valley State | W, 5-0
After a 0-0 first period between the Lakers and Bearcats, McKendree started quick in the second period to take command of the game. With the eventual game-winning goal coming in the fourth minute of the second period, junior forward Kerstyn Barron found the back of net with dishouts by sophomore forward Abby Jeffers and senior defense Aria Groot. In the ninth minute, junior forward Jayna Barnden captured another power play score to make the game 2-0 with assists to Groot and Jeffers, once again. The second period scoring finished with an unassisted goal by senior forward Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe in the 10th minute, which put McKendree up 3-0. The goal was Gorgevska-Sharpe's first of the season. 

The third period got the Bearcats two more scores with sophomore forward Brooklynne Painter firing her first goal of the season in the 14th minute while junior forward Brooke Lannon finding the back of the net in the 19th minute. It was also Lannon's first goal of the 2024-25 campaign. 

Junior goaltender Paige Hunt got the shutout victory in goal with 10 saves in the effort. 

Scoring
P2 - PP | #22 Kerstyn Barron (3) via #3 Abby Jeffers (4), #13 Aria Groot (6) - GW
P2 - PP | #15 Jayna Barnden (3) via #13 Aria Groot (7), #3 Abby Jeffers (5)
P2 | #7 Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (1)
P3 | #16 Brookelynne Painter (1) via #40 Julia Koski (2)
P3 | #4 Brooke Lannon (1) via #7 Larisa Gorgevska-Sharpe (3)

October 6 @ Michigan | L, 3-2 OT
McKendree was poised to go undefeated up in Michigan, facing the Wolverines to close out the road trip, pushing early with two first period goals for an advantage. Junior forward Kerstyn Barron scored a power play goal in the third minute for a 1-0 lead with junior forward Jayna Barnden getting the assist. To close out the first period, Barnden then fired her own score with sophomore forward Abby Jeffers dishing out the helper on the goal. McKendree led 2-0 following the first 20 minutes of action. 

The Bearcats and Wolverines both went null on scoring in the second period. Michigan fired two goals in the third to even up the contest, sending it into overtime. Michigan fired a game-winner in the first overtime to take the game, 3-2. 

Freshman goaltender Makenna Collins collected 14 saves in the effort on Sunday.

Scoring
P1 - PP | #22 Kerstyn Barron (4) via #15 Jayna Barnden (4)
P1 | #15 Jayna Barnden (4) via #3 Abby Jeffers (6)

UP NEXT
Oct. 11 | 4:30PM vs. Rhode Island | McKendree Metro Rec Plex - O'Fallon, Illinois | Watch
Oct. 12 | 4:15PM vs. Rhode Island | McKendree Metro Rec Plex - O'Fallon, Illinois | Watch

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