Roller hockey began its season with a sweep of three games in the Great Plains Collegiate Inline Hockey League (GPCIHL) October 20 and 22 at Midwest Sport Hockey in Ballwin, Missouri.  The Lions stopped Bethel (Tenn.) 9-4 on Friday and then defeated St. Charles Community College (JC) 17-2 and St. Louis Community College – Meramec 17-1 on Sunday.
 
In the closest game of the weekend for Lindenwood, the Lions started quickly and controlled the flow of the game in the first period, outshooting the Wildcats 14-2.  Cody Page put the first goal on the board for Lindenwood at 6:34, assisted by Nick DellaMorte.  The two players swapped roles with DellaMorte getting his first collegiate goal at 9:20 on a play set up by Page.  Jalen Krogman gave the Lions a 3-0 lead on the power play with 48 seconds remaining.  DellaMorte picked up his third point of the game with the assist.
 
The two teams were more evenly matched in the second as defensive miscues cost both squads.  Lindenwood outshot Bethel 12-11.  The Lions opened up a 4-0 advantage 90 seconds into the period when Steve Farina hit the back of the cage on a play set up by Jalen Krogman.  The Wildcats broke the shutout a minute later, but Lindenwood answered right back at the 4:17 mark with an unassisted effort from Daniel Rosse.  Bethel scored its second goal of the game with just under four minutes remaining, and the Wildcats added another moments later on the power play, but the Lions struck again on Austin Steger's first collegiate goal at 10:16 with help from Nick Schnelle. 
 
It was still a tight game at 5-3 heading into the final period, and Bethel made it even closer with another score just 44 seconds into the third, but Lindenwood pulled away from that point as the Lions outshot the Wildcats 21-9 in the final 12 minutes.  DellaMorte and Page combined on a play at 2:55, and Page earned another assist at 10:51 when he set up Jake Escarcega.  The final goal of the game came with just 17 second remaining when Tyler Watson fed Rosse for his second of the contest.
 
No. 1 Star honors went to freshman forward Nick DellaMorte with two goals and two assists, Cody Page was the No. 2 Star with a goal and three assists, and Daniel Rosse earned No. 3 Star honors with two goals.  Paul Town stopped 18 of 22 shots he faced to get the win between the pipes.
 
Top performers overall for the three game weekend included Nick DellaMorte with 10 goals and five assists, Daniel Rosse with six goals and three assists, and Nick Schnelle with six goals and two assists.
 
Lindenwood begins its season with a record of 3-0.  The Lions return to action with four games overall and three in the GPCIHL November 3-4.  The Lions are scheduled to face Missouri at 7 p.m. and Bethel at 10 p.m. on Friday, then tackle Kansas State D2 in a non-conference match-up at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by Bethel again at 5 p.m.  All four games will be played at Midwest Sport Hockey in Ballwin, Missouri.