MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO. – On Friday afternoon, women's ice hockey (3-14-1, 2-6-0 AHA) took on the Mavericks of Minnesota State (8-9-1, 4-9-1 WCHA), to start out the 2025 slate. Lindenwood would trail early in the contest, and would not be able to bounce back, with the Lions falling 8-1 to the Mavericks. After the contest, Lindenwood would move to 3-15-1 on the season and the Mavericks would improve to 9-9-1 on the campaign.

GAME OVERVIEW
5:32 into the first period, Minnesota State would find their first goal of the night while even-strength. The Mavericks would score three more goals before the end of the frame, to lead 4-0 over the Lions, going into the first intermission. In the first period, Lindenwood would have five shots on net and Madison Bowtell would make 12 stops.

In period two, the Mavericks would continue to have the hot hand on offense, scoring three straight goals in the frame, extending their lead to seven. Morgan Neitzke would break the Lion's scoreless drought in the contest at 12:59 into the frame, scoring off a wrist shot from a Tatem Starlight-Yellowfly pass, cutting the Lion's deficit to six. This would be Neitzke's 54th career goal and seventh goal in the 2024-25 campaign. After two periods of play, Lindenwood would trail the Mavericks 7-1. In the frame, Lindenwood would tally six shots on net. Catherine Hodgins would make 12 saves in the period.

In period three, Minnesota State scored the final goal of the game at 3:46 into the period, with the Mavericks extending their lead to seven. In the frame, the Lions would have eight shots on net. Hodgins would make ten stops in the final frame of play.
In the contest, Lindenwood would have 19 total shots on net and would make 34 total saves.
 
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Points – Neitzke and Starlight-Yellowfly (1)
Goals – Neitzke (1)
Assists – Starlight-Yellowfly (1)
Shots on Goal – Neitzke (6)
Plus/Minus – Five Tied (0)
Faceoff Wins – Gigi Pora (9)
Blocks – Chloe Corbin (4)
Saves – Hodgins (22)
 
UP NEXT
Lindenwood will take on Minnesota State in game two of their series against the Mavericks, Saturday, January 4, at 1:00 PM CT.