ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- The College of Saint Benedict hockey team (2-2, 2-0 MIAC) scored a big win in their home opener Friday night, getting a 5-3 victory over the Oles of St. Olaf College. With the win, the Blazers are now 1-0 in the MIAC.
 
Those five goals mark the biggest offensive outburst so far this season for the Blazers as they outshot the Oles 35-17. their highest shot differential this season. Junior forward Liz Hermes led the charge with two goals. Through four games Hermes has already scored three goals, more than doubling her career total.
 
Senior goaltender Jenna Traut notched her second consecutive victory, making 16 saves to preserve the Blazer lead late in the game.
 
The Blazers outshot their opponents 11-4 in the first period, but it was the Oles that got on the board first, scoring off a shot from Karma Knutson in the 10th minute. That goal was assisted Caroline Ponessa.
 
Nine minutes later, Ponessa was called for checking, giving the Blazers their fourth power play of the period. This time the Blazers capitalized on the player advantage, tying the game 1-1 via the stick of Hermes. That goal was Herman's second of the year and was assisted by first-year forward Brigette Miller and sophomore forward Hannah Esselman.
 
The Oles took the lead back just 42 seconds into the second period, scoring off an unassisted goal from senior forward Devyn Hotho.
 
Down 2-1, the Blazers rallied in the latter part of the second period to take a one goal lead heading into the third and final period. At the 11:11 mark, sophomore forward Elli Marvin scored her second goal of the season off a pass from Maddie Rainey to tie the game at 2-2.
 
With less than two minutes left in the period Hermes took a rebound off a shot from Kacee Medved and flicked it over the left leg of Ole goaltender Cassie Alexander to give the Blazers a 3-2 lead.
 
Early in the third first-year forward Kimberly Patterson broke free from the Ole defense and scored her second collegiate goal to give the Blazers a two-goal lead.
 
With nine minutes to play, the Ole offense gave the Blazers a brief scare when they got a shot from Hotho that hit Blazer goaltender Jenna Trout in the chest and then floated up over her head and into the goal.
 
Just two minutes later however, junior forward Siri Berg-Moberg put the nail in the coffin, scoring off an assist from Medved to give the Blazers 5-3 lead they would for the rest of the game.
 
The Blazers will travel to Northfield tomorrow (Nov. 15th) to play the Oles on their home ice. Face-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Three Stars of the Game:

1. Liz Hermes (career-high two goals, + 2)
2. Siri Berg-Moberg (one goal, one assist, + 3)
3. Jenna Trout (16 saves)