The Lindenwood Women's Hockey team (1-0-0, 0-0-0 AHA) opened its season with a 5-0 victory over Post University on the road and improved to 1-0 for the first time since the 2023-24 season. The five goals scored marked the most goals that the Lions have ever scored in a season opener in the NCAA Era (2011-12 - present).
In the first period, Lindenwood put pressure on the Eagles early and went to the Power Play less than five minutes into the opening frame. The Lions generated three shots on goal during the two minute advantage, but the Post goaltender stopped all three shots as the game remained scoreless. Later in the period, the pressure from the Lions finally paid off thanks to
Tilde Simensen lighting the lamp for the first time in her career and scoring the first goal of the season for the Black and Gold. After
Silje Gundersen fired a shot on target in the middle of the ice, Simensen tracked down the puck in the corner and sent the puck up the left side of the boards to
Nicole Pietrucha. Pietrucha got a shot off that found the pads of the Eagle goalie, and the shot from the top of the blue line created a rebound for Simensen, who scored off the rebound to put Lindenwood in front 1-0 with 5:58 left to go in the first.
Two minutes later,
Paige Cline extended the lead off another rebound opportunity.
Krisztina Weiler sent a shot from just inside the blue line that snuck under the goaltender's pad and Cline was able to tap in her first goal of the season. Lindenwood finished the first period with 17 total shots on goal and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Lions extended the lead to three thanks to
Thea Rustbakken scoring her first career goal. Rustbakken skated past the backside of the Eagle defense and buried the puck into the back of the net off a cross ice pass from
Tatiana Blichova. Through the first 40 minutes of play, Lindenwood held a 32-10 shot advantage and
Madison Bowtell stopped all 10 shots that she had faced.
The final period saw the Lions add two more goals, which came off the sticks of
Silje Gundersen and
Elina Zilliox. Gundersen's goal was created due to an odd-man rush in which
Raquel McCormack beat the Eagle defense to a loose puck down the ice and tapped a pass over to
Tilde Simensen, who sent a cross ice pass to Gundersen for the one-time goal.
Zillox's goal was scored off of a face-off in which
Tatem Starlight-Yellowfly won. The faceoff win by Starlight-Yellowfly found the stick of
Grace Rentmeester and Rentmesster would find Zilliox at the top of the blue line for a one-time slapshot goal to put the Lions up by five with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. The Lions closed out the contest allowing zero shots over the final eight minutes and took the season opener in dominant fashion.
Lindenwood ended the game with 51 total shots on goal and were led by
Michaela Paulinyova who had nine shots on goal. Defensively, the Lions blocked nine shots and killed off all three Post Power Plays while allowing only three total shots combined throughout those six minutes of being short handed.
Madison Bowtell ended the game with 15 saves en route to her second career shutout.
"We're really proud of the effort we showed for all 60 minutes." said Head Coach
Max Gavin. "Everyone competed for each other, stayed committed, and were willing to play selflessly. That's the kind of effort and hunt mentality we want to build on moving forward."
The Lions will wrap up their series with Post Univeristy tomorrow morning with puck drop set for 10:45 AM CT.
