The St. Kate's hockey team opened their season with a 4-2 non-conference win over the College of St. Benedict on Thursday night. It didn't take long for freshmen defensemen Katie Jirik to record her first college goal, she scored the for Wildcats at 15:44 of the opening period.  St. Ben's tied the game shortly afterward at 17:40 after a defensive miscommunication.

The game stayed knotted at one goal apiece until 5:51 in the third period when St. Ben's Gretchen Leyendecker scored an unassisted goal to take a 2-1 lead. At 10:55 junior Kelsey Abrahamson scored on a power play assisted by Michaela Michaelson and Meghan Lange to tie things up once again.

The game winning goal was scored at 16:42 by Liz Bauer, assisted by Rachel Gasperetti and Meghan Lange.

St. Kate's final goal of the night came at 19:34 in the third period when Cassie Rooney connected on a Kayla Clafton assist.

Head coach Brad Marshall said after the win, "We got a solid effort from everyone tonight. It was nice to see us getting points from different people. We get a goal from a defensemen, a third line forward and a couple from out our top line. That's what its going to take all year long. Getting that balanced scoring from each line."  

The Wildcats outshot the Blazers 31-17 on the night and were 1 for 2 on the power play.

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