The St. Thomas women’s hockey team (1-0-0) defeated the College of St. Benedict (0-2-0) 5-2 in the first game of the 2021 season after five postponements due to COVID-19 protocols.

Five different Tommies each contributed one goal each in the scoring barrage against St. Ben’s.

The five goal game is the largest season-opening game for any St. Thomas women’s hockey team in 13 seasons.

St. Thomas started the first period with a 2-1 lead with senior forward Maddy Fiedler scored the first goal of the season for the Tommies and earned an assist.

Senior forward Estee Frantz scored the second goal within two minutes of Fiedler’s goal.

St. Ben’s senior forward Riley Schneider scored the last goal of the first period and sophomore defender Rachel DeCesare scored at the beginning of the second period to tie the game up at 2 goals a piece.

Junior forward Anna Solheim, scored a goal to break a 2-2 tie with 32 seconds left in the second period.

Senior forward Alyssa Wallace scored the fourth goal on a power play for the Tommies in the third period assisted by Fiedler and senior defender Mikayla Kero.

First-year defender Isabel Lippai scored the final goal on a power play for the Tommies and her first goal in her first collegiate appearance. Lippai, graduate of Woodbury High School, went all-conference all four years.

Junior goaltender Eryn Cooley defended 19 of 21 shots faced in goal and helped the Tommies stay ahead.

Despite six penalties against the Tommies, St. Ben’s could not score on their power play opportunities. St. Thomas scored on two of four power play opportunities.

According to Tommie Sports, the St. Thomas women’s hockey team has gone “353 days since a season-ending MIAC playoff loss last Feb. 27.”

The Tommies play Hamline University at 7:30 p.m Wednesday at home in Mendota Heights.

Andrés Tejeda can be reached at teje4962@stthomas.edu.