Box Score MANKATO, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's hockey team started the new year off right with their third win of the season on Sunday vs. Lindenwood University, a team who is now 4-13-4 after the loss.

Minnesota State started things off in the first period, scoring two quick goals just one minute apart from each other.  At the 11:18 mark, senior forward Katie Johnson (Anoka, Minn.) tipped in her third goal of the season when sophomore defensemen Emma Wittchow (Burnsville, Minn.) slid a pass across the point to Victoria Lovdal (Fredrickstad, Norway) who fired the puck on net. Johnson was able to get a piece of the puck at the top of the crease, deflecting it past the glove of Lindenwood's goaltender Nicole Hensley.  Just one minute later, junior forward Savannah Quandt (Mankato, Minn.) tallied her first marker of the season on a play that was set up by freshman Corbin Boyd (Minnetonka, Minn.) and sophomore Anna Keys (Cottage Grove, Minn.).  The Mavericks would take the 2-0 lead into the second period having been outshot by the Lady Lions 10-7 in the first 20 minutes.

In the second frame, LU conjured up a period similar to Minnesota State's first.  At 12:17, Lindenwood's leading scorer Shara Jasper notched her 13th goal of the season.  Assisting on the play was Emily Gunderson and Rachel Weich.  Then, just under one minute had passed before Britannia Gillanders tied up the game at two goals apiece on a breakaway where she slid the puck between the legs of a moving Minnesota State goaltender, junior Brianna Quade (Newcastle, Ont.)

In the final stanza, it was the Mavericks who were able to finish strong as sophomore  forward Hannah Davidson (Kincardine, Ont.) deflected home her team-leading fifth goal of the season to solidify the win for MSU.  At 14:21 Johnson dished the puck up to freshman defenseman Megan Hinze (Carver, Minn.) who threw the puck on net for Davidson to redirect past a screened Hensley.  

When it was all said and done, it was Minnesota State who had the upper hand in shots on goal, owning a clip of 29-27.  Quade finished the game with 25 stops on the afternoon while as a whole, the Mavericks were held scoreless on their one man-advantage opportunity, compared to Lindenwood's 0-2 mark.

Minnesota State, now 3-15-1 (0-14-0 WCHA) on the year, will wrap up its series with Lindenwood University on Monday, January 4th in Mankato.  The game is slated for a 2:07 p.m. start time at Verizon Wireless Center.