MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – For the second time in less than a week, the College of Saint Benedict hockey team fell to St. Thomas after the Tommies put together a big third period.
 
After falling 5-2 thanks to a pair of UST power-play goals on Feb. 14, the Bennies lost 6-2 Friday night after UST scored a trio of third-period goals in a nonconference game in Mendota Heights. The game marked the last between the two teams as the Tommies are headed to Division I next season.
 
Junior Julia Pias got the scoring started Friday night for Saint Benedict (0-3-1) when she notched her first goal of the season at the 2:35 mark. The Tommies (2-1) tied the game less than two minutes later, and that's where the score stayed until the final 50 seconds of the period when UST added a second goal to go up 2-1.
 
The Tommies used a power-play goal to go up 3-1 at the 7:31 mark of the second period, and no one scored again until Rachel DeCesare notched her second goal of the season – a power-play goal – at the four-minute mark of the third. DeCesare's goal came off assists from Annika Brodt and Corrine Brown, and made it a one-goal game.
 
That was as close as the Bennies got, however, as UST scored three goals in less than three minutes to put the game out of reach.
 
The Tommies had 31 shots on net to CSB's 25. Pias finished with five shots on net to lead the team and Myka Stave added three. Senior goalie Kailee Medved made 25 saves in her season debut in net, including 12 third-period saves.
 
Saint Benedict continues its busy week and plays its fourth game in eight days Sunday, Feb. 21, when it heads to St. Peter to take on Gustavus. The Gusties haven't played a game since Feb. 6. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m., and live stats and video are available here.