Article Written by Department of Athletics Student-Staff Writer Rich Rosa

Raven Standouts:
Alyssa Kawa (Hamilton, Ontario): 2 Goals (Third goal against St. Thomas in the weekend series), 3 Shots on Goal.
Emilie Prive (Morrisville, VT): 1 Assist.
Mikayla Kelly (Eagan, MN): 2 Assists, 2 Shots on Goal.
Jill Hertl (Highland Park, Ill.): 48 Saves 

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, M.N. (9/30/2023) -- The Franklin Pierce University women's hockey team tallied a 5-2 loss to the University of St. Thomas Saturday night.

St. Thomas improved to 2-0-0 (0-0-0 WCHA) with the win and captured the weekend series sweep. Franklin Pierce falls to 0-2-0 (0-0-0 NEWHA) with the loss. Playing four times in the last two years, Franklin Pierce is now 1-3 against St. Thomas.   

A little over two minutes into the game, St. Thomas got on the board first when freshman forward Maddie Brown recorded her first career goal.

St. Thomas kept the pressure rolling after the team peppered Raven's Sophomore goaltender Jill Hertl (Highland Park, III.) with 23 shots on goal throughout the first. Hertl stood strong keeping the score at 1-0 heading into the first intermission.

Seven minutes into the second period, St. Thomas took the 2-0 lead after freshman forward Rylee Bartz scored her first career goal. For Bartz, it was her third point of the weekend after tallying two assists in the first game between the Ravens and the Tommies.  

Later in the second period, the Ravens got on the board after junior transfer forward Alyssa Kawa (Hamilton, Ontario) scored her second goal of the season. As Kawa stepped up, so did the Raven's defense, holding St. Thomas to just 8 shots on goal in the second period which closed out 2-1 St. Thomas.

After a dull offensive second period, the Tommies hit the gas in the third with three goals from three different players going up 5-1.

In the tail end of the third, the Ravens offered one last punch after Kawa scored her second goal of the game and third of the weekend.

St. Thomas went on to kill the final four minutes of the game, capturing the 5-2 victory over Franklin Pierce.

Graduate goaltender Olivia King started in net tonight for St. Thomas and picked her first win of the season. She made ten saves and gave up two goals. Hertl stopped 48 of 53 shots for Franklin Pierce and picked up the loss. 

NEXT UP FOR THE RAVENS: Franklin Pierce heads north to Colchester, Vermont, for a two-game weekend series in two weeks as they take on NEWHA conference opponent St. Michael's. Game one is Friday, October 13, at 7 p.m., and game two is Saturday, October 14, at 3 p.m.