SAINT PETER, Minn. — The Gustavus women’s hockey team opened its season Friday night, hosting Augsburg for a rare non-conference matchup between the two teams. A goal from Clara Billings (Sr., Rochester) would give the Gusties a 1-0 advantage late in the second period and would be enough to hold off the Auggies for the Gusties’ first victory of the season.
Both teams played scoreless through the first period, with the Gusties holding the edge in shots on goal, 9-7. Hailey Holland (Sr., Aberdeen, S.D.) almost made a highlight-reel-worthy play as the first period came to a close, juggling a bouncing puck and tapping it just over the head of the Auggie defense, sending the loose puck toward Augsburg goaltender Chloe Stockinger — just barely missing the goal line.
Billings’ goal would come 17 minutes into the second period, as Sophia Colvet (Jr., Arden Hills) sped into the Auggie defensive zone, dishing a picturesque feed from behind the net to Billings who tapped the puck past Stockinger. Brooke Remington (Jr., Scandia) earned the second assist on Billings’ goal, marking her first point of the season and first point in a Gustie jersey.
Katie McCoy (Sr., Grafton, Wis.) made sure that the solo Billings goal would be enough to give Gustavus the victory, as the senior goaltender stopped all 16 Augsburg shots in recording her first shutout of the season. McCoy was busiest in the first period, stopping all seven Augsburg shots, before adding five saves in the second period and four in the third.
Holland would end the game with eight shots on net, while Kayla Vrieze (Sr., Eagan) added four of her own and Emily Olson (Sr., Delano) and Coltvet tallied three each.
The Gusties, now 1-0 on the season, host Lake Forest next weekend for a two-game series on Nov. 4 and 5.