November 23, 2024
Cobbers Can't Sustain Another 1st-Period Success
It was another stellar first period for Concordia at No.2-ranked Gustavus. Less than 24 hours after leading the Gusties 3-0 after the first 20 minutes of play, the Cobbers were tied 1-1 with nationally-ranked Gustavus heading into the second period. Unfortunately for Concordia, the Gusties were able to rattle off another big string of goals and come away with the win. Gustavus scored five straight goals in the second and third periods to send CC to a 6-2 loss.
ST. PETER, Minn. (11/23/24)---It was another stellar first period for Concordia at No.2-ranked Gustavus. Less than 24 hours after leading the Gusties 3-0 after the first 20 minutes of play, the Cobbers were tied 1-1 with nationally-ranked Gustavus heading into the second period.
Unfortunately for Concordia, the Gusties were able to rattle off another big string of goals and come away with the win. Gustavus scored five straight goals in the second and third periods to send CC to a 6-2 loss.
Senior wing Abbey Hardwick provided the offense for the Cobbers in the series finale. She scored both goals – her first two strikes of the season.
Hardwick tied the game at the back end of the first period after Gustavus took a 1-0 lead at the 15:06 mark.
Hardwick's first goal came on the power play at 17:11. The CC opener was set up by junior Memphis Mertens who took control of the puck in the Cobber zone, raced through the neutral zone, beat a GAC defender at the blue line and fired a shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle. The puck beat the Gusties goalie and settled next to the goal line inside the crease. After a scrum of players scrambled for the puck, Hardwick was able to knock the puck through the pile of players and into the net.
Gustavus (4-1-0, 4-0-0 MIAC) scored three times in the second and added two more in the third before Hardwick capped the stat line with a goal at 19:30.
Jayda Krikorian set up the final goal of the game as she sent a pass from deep in the Cobber defensive zone to the Gustavus blue line where Hardwick had gotten behind the defense. Hardwick converted the ensuing breakaway to bring the final total to 6-2. The assist was Krikorian's first of the year.
Gustavus outshot the Cobbers 22-8 for the game. Senior Ashlea Arvidson made her second start of the season and turned aside 16 shots.
Concordia will have a break for the Thanksgiving holiday and return to action on Dec. 6 when they host St. Mary's in the first game of a 2-game series.