The 2012-13 winter season is officially in full-swing as the Wildcat hockey team opened up Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play with a clean sweep of Augsburg College, thanks in large part to newcomer Bailey Rasmussen (Grand Rapids, Minn.). For her two-goal weekend, Rasmussen has been named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week.
After the dropping their first game of the season to Hamline University without scoring a single goal, the Wildcats recovered Friday evening in a big way, scoring three power play goals to take down the Auggies 3-2 in Minneapolis. Rasmussen got the ball rolling as she scored the team's first goal of the season less than five minutes into the game on a tip from Mallory Ryan (Cottage Grove, Minn.). The goal was Rasmussen's first in a Wildcat uniform.
After helping her team pick up its first win of the season, Rasmussen got things going in favor of the Wildcats again in Saturday's home opener as she netted the team's opening goal in the 2-0 win over the Auggies. Her goal was the team's first even strength goal of the season and was the eventaul game winner. Rasmussen was the only Wildcat to score twice in as many games and is now one of three Wildcats to lead the team with two points in just three games played.
With the sweep of the Auggies, the Wildcats are now tied with four other teams at the top of the MIAC with four points after the first week of MIAC play. Conference play resumes this weekend as the Wildcats travel to Winona, Minn., to take on Saint Mary's University at 7 p.m. The Wildcats will host the Cardinals for the second game of the series, Saturday at 4 p.m., at Drake Arena.