Schenectady, N.Y. --- With the score tied at 1-1 with less than 1:30 remaining in the game, junior defenseman Anna Keys skated into the right side of the Union defensive zone, cut across the middle, and fired a shot past the Union goaltender at 18:42 to secure a 2-1 win for Minnesota State against Union on Saturday afternoon at Frank L. Messa Rink. 

The win earned the Mavericks a series split.   

Neither team scored in the first 20:00 of play with Union (3-17-0) holding a slight edge over Minnesota State (6-14-2) in shots at 10-9. Sophomore Katie Bidulka (3-5-0), who made a season-high 33 saves in the game, and Amelia Murray (0-6-0), who made 25 saves on the afternoon, stopped each shot they faced for Minnesota State and Union, respectively, in the period. 

In the second period, shots were 11-10 in favor of Union, but Minnesota State scored the only goal of the second 20:00 of play to take a 1-0 lead. While on the power play, sophomore forward Emily Antony (5-7--12) -- the team leader in goals and points -- who was standing to the side of the net, received a crisp pass across the front of the net from sophomore forward Corbin Boyd (0-7--7). Antony shot the puck into the open portion of the goal before Murray could slide over to cover it. Boyd and junior forward Lindsey Coleman (4-6--10) assisted on the play. Boyd and Antony are tied for the team lead in assists.

Union fought back in the third period and tied the game at 1-1 when freshman forward Cheyenne Harris (3-4--7) scored on the power play at 8:22. Freshman forward Katelynn Russ (2-1--3) and junior defenseman Caitlyn McLaren (3-6--9) assisted on the play.

The stage was set for Keys (2-3--5) to score her first-career game-winning goal at 18:42 to earn the Mavericks the win and a series split. The game-winning score was assisted by Coleman and sophomore defenseman Leila Kilduff (0-1--1).

The Mavericks finished 1-of-2 on the power play, while the Dutchwomen finished 1-of-6 with the man advantage.

The line of Antony, Coleman and sophomore forward Jordan McLaughlin (2-4--6) continued their hot streak on the offensive end of the ice. The linemates combined for two goals and four assists for six points in the two-game series with Union. The trio has generated seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points over its last 10 games.   

Minnesota State is now 3-2-0 in its last five games and has won three consecutive Saturday contests. The Mavericks improved to 4-0-0 when holding a lead at the end of two periods and 6-3-0 in one-goal games.  
 
The Mavericks return to the ice on Jan. 8, 2017 when they face No. 2 Minnesota in a neutral site game in Edina, Minn.

Listen to Minnesota State women's hockey Head Coach John Harrington's postgame comments below.