Stella Anderson Moye-

The Don Roberts Ice Rink was packed to the brim with fans, family, and friends of the Gustavus Women’s Hockey team. An anticipated game between MIAC opponents created an electric environment that made the rink come alive. Although Bethel did its best to fight back, the Royals were reminded that Gustavus is the reigning conference champion, with the Gusties outscoring and outskating the opponent throughout the game.

The Gusties were quick to make their move. Not even a full minute into the game, the Gusties attempted 2 shots on goal. The aggressive nature of the Gusties contributed to an early lead in the game. At 5:15, they had a successful shot by Brooke Power, who is in her 9th semester on the hill. Keeping the success streak going, the following faceoff was also swept up and won by the Gusties. The rampage didn’t halt; Gustavus earned another goal from Senior Kaitlyn Holland, bringing the score up to 2-0 within the first 8 minutes of the game. Gustavus and Bethel battled for the remainder of the first period, with Gustavus racking up another 11 shots on goal. At 18:40, Gustavus received a penalty for unsportsmanlike play, giving Bethel a power play. However, the Royals remained unable to capitalize on the opportunity. The first period closed out 2-0.

Bethel opened the second period with both a powerplay and the faceoff won, yet remained unable to make much progress with these advantages. Bethel and Gustavus traded shots taken back and forth for the first 5 minutes of the period. At the 7:45 mark of the second period, Bethel was able to score their one and only goal of the game. They were not able to hang onto this brief lasting moment of fortune. They quickly earned a penalty, giving the Gusties a power play. Gustavus came back with a vengeance; in the next 5 minutes, they put up 3 shots on goal, won 2 faceoffs, and Senior Abby Elliot scored the 3rd goal of the game to further the lead over the Royals. The remainder of the period highlighted back-and-forth shots from each side, faceoffs that could go either way and penalties sprinkled in amongst both teams. 

The third period opened with Gustavus winning the faceoff. The Gusties hammered away at Bethel, repeated shot after shot attempt for the first 15 minutes. The Royals were tough, however, determined to not let the Gusties gain any more ground. Bethel was unable to keep up with the fast and aggressive play from their opponent. Sophomore Hannah Thompson cracked the team at 17:13, earning the final goal of the game. The Gustavus women’s hockey team finished the game with a score of 4-1 over Bethel. This improved the Gusties record to 15-4-0 overall, and 10-2-0 in the MIAC, as well as boosting their ranking to boast 5th in the nation. Junior Margot Bettman attributes the success of the team to the game day atmosphere: “We get so pumped up on game days. It’s all good vibes in the locker room before we warm up. We keep it light and dance and sing. After warm-ups, the atmosphere becomes a little more intense. We each have our own ways of getting into the zone and ready to play well. At the end of the day we play for each other and the atmosphere reflects that.” Go Gusties!