ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Catherine University hockey team opened the 2022-23 season with a dominating 11-1 victory over the Finlandia University Lions. Seven players contributed to the goals column on Friday with
Madi Schwengler,
Lindsey Hays,
Kaitlyn Blair, and
Paige Loidolt scoring two. The last time the Wildcats scored eleven goals was December 14, 2001, against Hamline University winning 11-0.
Schwengler scored the team's first goal of the season assisted by rookie
Isabel Burt and junior
Abby Pirkl credited with the help two minutes into the game. Senior
Laura Denchfield added the team's second goal from junior
Madi Fleming and Loidolt less than two minutes later.
The Lioins lone goal of the contest was scored six minutes into the first period unassisted before St. Kate's added two more before heading into the first intermission.
Loidolt scored her first collegiate goal at 10:50 into the first from Fleming and Denchfield. Senior Lindsey Hayes added the Wildcats fourth goal and last of the first period assisted by Blair with five minutes remaining in the period.
St. Kate's added four more in the second period with Blair starting off scoring off a pass from PIrkl. Pirkl went on to score less than two minutes later from junior
Samantha Lackmann and first-year
Ellie Skaja giving St. Kate's a 6-1 advantage.
Loidolt scored again in the middle of the second to go up 7-1 followed by a goal from Hays assisted by Lackmann and Schwengler.
The Wildcats scored three more in the final period with goals from Blair, Fleming and Schwengler. Blair scored five minutes into the period and Fleming's goal was scored with just over seven minutes remaining from Loidolt and Denchfield. Schwengler scored less than a minute later from rookie
Raechel Painovich for the final goal of the non-conference contest.
Fifth-year
Elizabeth Kubicek earned the win with 13 saves in the game allowing just one goal.
The Wildcats are back in action on Saturday for game two of the series with Finlandia. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 pm at Drake Arena.
