MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — Senior forward Alyssa Wallace brought the Tommies within one goal with just under seven minutes remaining in the game, but it was not enough to give the St. Thomas women’s hockey team the win, as they lost 4-3 against Hamline University Wednesday night at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
This is St. Thomas’ (1-1-0) first loss of the season, and Hamline’s (4-0-0) fourth straight win of the season.
“I was pleased with a lot of our players’ play,” coach Tom Palkowski said. “As the game went on, I thought we controlled it more and more.”
Hamline sophomore forward Madison Davis scored the first goal of the game, just under three minutes into the first period, on an assist from junior forward Molly Garin. The Pipers netted one more 10 minutes later, with that one coming from first-year forward Emme Nelson, bringing the game to a 2-0 Piper lead at the end of the first period.
Sophomore forward and defender Alli Monrean put the Tommies on the board with an unassisted goal at the end of the second period. 28 seconds later, Hamline senior defender Olivia Arkell responded with an unassisted goal giving the Pipers a 3-1 lead going into the third period.
“I think that our team played pretty strong,” Monrean said. “Second and third (periods) we came out really buzzing, a lot of shots going to the net and crashing hard. Sadly, we couldn’t put them in.”
Garin increased the margin just over three minutes into the third period, followed by a St. Thomas goal midway through the period by first-year defender Isabel Lippai, her second collegiate goal of her career, assisted by junior forwards Anna Erickson and Anna Solheim.
“It was pretty exciting,” Lippai said. “I wasn’t expecting it to go in again, but it was super exciting.”
Wallace’s goal happened four minutes after Lippai’s, and was assisted by first-year forward Alli Pitlick.
The game was the first home game for the team, after five postponements due to COVID-19 protocols.
Palkowski said it was difficult for the girls, but they were “tremendous” through it.
“I feel like Charlie Brown and Lucy,” Palkowski said. “Lucy keeps pulling the football away, and these girls just keep coming back every day at the rink, they’re smiling, they’re having fun and it makes my life easy.”
The Tommies have a busy weekend ahead of them, playing the College of Saint Benedict for the second time Friday, followed the next night by Bethel University, both at home at 7 p.m.
The busy weekend is “pushing the girls” according to Monrean, but the team has each other’s backs.
“We’re making sure we’re holding each other accountable for drinking water, eating well, going to bed early so we can perform well in these next few games,” Monrean said.
Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.
Cam Kauffman can be reached at cam.kauffman@stthomas.edu