St. Catherine University Athletics

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University hockey team started the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) off with a sweep of the Bethel University Royals with a dominant 5-2 win at Drake Arena. St. Kate's is off to a 5-1 start and 2-0 MIAC standing as the conference sweep is the first back to back MIAC win for the Wildcats since the 2022 season and the first sweep of the Royals since 2010. 

St. Kate's controlled the pace early and struck first at 11:22 of the opening period, when first-year Lauren Schmidt buried her third goal of the season off a clean setup from Emma Keith and Sara Cooney. The Wildcats carried the 1–0 lead into the first break behind disciplined defensive play and strong goaltending from Addie Oettinger, who stopped all eight shots she faced in the frame.
 
The Royals capitalized on a power play at 6:22 as Malia McKinnon tied the score 1–1 in the second. They tacked on another at 14:11, and St. Kate's entered the locker room trailing 2–1 despite a competitive period and several high-quality looks.
 
The Wildcats needed just 31 seconds into the third to reset the tone. First-year Rhiannon Ashworth buried the equalizer at 00:31, assisted by Ana Myers, and the momentum never shifted back. Only 13 seconds later, the game barely settled before Sara Cooney scored the eventual game-winner and her first career goal at 00:44, with Ellie Skaja providing the helper.
 
St. Kate's continued rolling when Myers added her sixth goal of the season at 2:26, extending the lead to 4–2. The statement finish came on the power play at 10:12, when Samantha Bogen rifled one home off assists from Paige Fasching and Paige Loidolt to cap the four-goal burst and seal the scoring.
 
Oettinger stood tall all afternoon, finishing with 26 saves and backstopping a penalty kill that went 3-for-4. The Wildcats' power play clicked at key moments as well, converting 1-of-2 opportunities.
 
St. Kate's returns to Drake Arena on Friday, November 21 hosting Saint Mary's University at 7 pm and finish the conference series in Winona on Saturday.