The 2012-13 women’s hockey season opened last weekend for Rainy River Community College with the Voyageurs splitting two games with Iowa State at Kerry Park Arena.
RRCC lost Saturday night’s opening game to the Cyclones, 3-2.
“In the first game, we had a lot of first-game jitters,” said Voyageurs head coach Evan Amdahl.
Except for sophomore forward Janet Scherrer, the contest marked the first college hockey game for the rest of the RRCC players.
Iowa State scored first on the power play late in the first period. After Voyageurs forward Delaney Peters got sent to the penalty box for interference, Iowa State’s Abbey Leffler shot the puck past RRCC goalie Kristen Andrews on an assist by Kayla Scott with 3:39 left in the period.
The rest of the scoring took place in the second period.
The Voyageurs were on the power play when they tied the game at 1-1 early in the second. Freshman forward Jaylene Anderson scored 53 seconds into the period assisted by Jacinda Parslow and Taylor Dixon.
The Cyclones scored their final two goals within 30 seconds of each other.
Leffler gave Iowa State the lead on an assist by Hailie Bennewitz with 7:30 to play in the second, followed by the game-winning goal from Millie Luedtke assisted by Jenna Wormuth with 7:02 left in the period.
RRCC also scored its second and final goal of the game on the power play. After Luedtke was called for hooking, Chelsey Clark found the net on an assist by Dixon with 2:40 to play in the second period.
The Cyclones outshot the Voyageurs, 25-21. Andrews recorded 22 saves for RRCC, compared to 19 saves by Iowa State’s Allison Stuckmayer.
RRCC 2, ISU 1
All the scoring came in the second period Sunday when the Voyageurs won game two, 2-1.
Amdahl said RRCC’s players were more relaxed when they closed out the two-game series with a victory.
Both of the Voyageurs’ goals were scored by Dixon, who gave RRCC the lead assisted by Bailey Bernard and Anderson with 12:21 to play in the second and added the game-winner on an assist by Clark with 3:13 left in the period.
In between Dixon’s goals, Iowa State’s only goal of the game came unassisted by Leffler.
The Cyclones once again outshot the Voyageurs, 27-25. RRCC’s Sammi Harrity recorded the win in goal with 26 saves. Stuckmayer made 23 saves for Iowa State.
The Voyageurs will play three games this weekend when they host the “CAN-AM Tournament” Friday through Sunday at Bronco Arena.
RRCC plays Queens College at 6 p.m. Friday, Michigan State at 6 p.m. Saturday and the Predators at 2 p.m.
Two other teams in the tournament — Minot State and Confederation College — the Voyageurs won’t face this weekend, but will instead play each team in a two-game series later this year.
Game one
ISU 3, RRCC 2
ISU 1 2 0 — 3
RRCC 0 1 0 — 2
Game two
RRCC 2, ISU 1
ISU 0 1 0 — 1
RRCC 0 2 0 — 2
