ST. PAUL, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict hockey team (7-8-2, 3-5-2 MIAC), which had a goal from junior forward Aurora Opsahl, dropped a 4-1 MIAC road decision to (RV) Hamline (14-3-0, 9-1-0 MIAC) on Saturday (Jan. 20).

With the setback, CSB dropped to 7-8-2 overall and 3-5-2 for 11 league points and seventh in the MIAC. Hamline is 14-3-0 overall with an 9-1 mark and second place with 26 points in the MIAC. Next for CSB will be a home-and-home series with Augsburg on Jan. 26-27. CSB hosts the Auggies at 7 p.m., on Friday, Jan. 26 at Ritsche Arena.

For Opsahl, she had her team-leading 12^th goal of the season (2^nd, MIAC) and now has 29 in her career. The 12th goal this year by the junior forward is just two away from the season-career-best 14 goals, she had a year ago with eight regular season games remaining on the schedule.

In the opening period, Opsahl's unassisted, even-strength goal helped Saint Benedict open up a 1-0 lead at the 2:18 mark.  

After that, Hamline took control with two goals later in the first period and two more in the third period as they captured the regular season series with two wins this weekend (3-1, 4-1). The Bennies, which has lost four straight games after winning four straight, was outshot, 39-to-21, including 17-to-5 in the third period.

Hamline tied the game at 1-1 on an even strength goal by Haley Eder-Zdechlik (5^th, season), who was assisted by Elizabeth Valley (11^th, season). The Pipers took a 2-1 lead on a goal at 17:04 by Annabel Mehra, who was assisted by Ally Steffensmeier. (3^rd, season), who had her first of three assists on the night.

In the second period, Hamline had a 12-to-6 shots edge but neither team was able to tally a goal. In the third period, the Pipers put two on the board to put the game away. First, Nikki Olund (6th, season) tallied an even-strength goal at 10:22 for a 3-1 lead. She was assisted by Sydney Lemke (10^th, season) and Steffensmeier. At 12:46 of the third period, Mehta had her second goal of the game and seventh of the year for a 4-1 lead. The even-strength goal was assisted by Steffensmeier with her third of the game and fifth of the season.

In face-offs, CSB had a slight advantage, winning 35-of-69 for 50.7 percent. Shauna Miller won 18-of-25 faceoffs for a team-best 72 percent. Junior forward Ava Stinnett had 11 wins on faceoffs while Mia Lopez had four.

In goal, junior Kate Moffat allowed four goals and registered 35 saves for CSB. Hamline's goaltender Kendra Nordick allowed one goal for the second straight game and registered 20 saves.