AMHERST, Mass. — In a tightly contested defensive battle, the (RV) College of Saint Benedict hockey team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end with a 2–1 overtime loss to No. 3 Amherst in the first round of the NCAA Division III Ice Hockey Championships at Orr Rink.

The Bennies, who finished the year with a 16-8-4 record, struck first early in the second period. Just 40 seconds into the frame, sophomore Jorja Jusczak (Moose Lake, Minn.) found the back of the net on a power play opportunity to give Saint Benedict a 1-0 lead. The goal — her sixth of the season and third of the postseason — came with assists from senior Chloe Lewis (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and junior Shae Stinnett (North Oaks, Minn.).

From there, first-year goaltender Lexi Badali (St. John, Ind.) delivered one of the best performances of her young career, keeping the Bennies in front for much of the afternoon. Badali turned aside a career-high 43 shots, including 11 in the first period, 14 in the second and 16 in the third before overtime began. Amherst finally broke through late in regulation when Ayla Abban scored at the 7:28 mark of the third period to even the score at 1-1.

The Mammoths carried momentum into the extra session and ended the contest 2:36 into overtime. Gretchen Dann scored the game-winning goal — her 15th of the season — off an assist from Naralie Fu to send Amherst into the second round with a 20-2-1 record.

Despite the loss, the Bennies capped one of the most successful seasons in program history. Saint Benedict finished with a program-best 16 victories and claimed the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff championship. The senior class also closed its four-year run with a school-record 53 wins.

Badali's standout postseason included just five goals allowed over 180 minutes against No. 3 Amherst, No. 7 Hamline and (RV) Gustavus Adolphus, finishing the year with a 1.76 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage.

Amherst finished with a 45-25 advantage in shots and a 35-27 edge in face-offs. First-year center Helena Siska (Naperville, Ill.) led the Bennies with 11 face-off wins in 20 attempts, while Lewis also recorded 11 victories on face-offs.

The game also featured a pair of milestones for Saint Benedict. Senior Presley Kraemer (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) skated in her program-record 104th career game, while senior Mia Lopez (Plymouth, Minn.) appeared in her 100th contest. The Bennies also set a program record by playing 28 games during the season.