Game-Long Battle Leads To Blue Collar Win

ST. PAUL , Minn. (2/01/13)—Breann Julius scored 1:02 into overtime to give Concordia a 5-4 win over St. Catherine in a game that was destined to be finished by the last team to score. The teams traded one-goal leads three different times and had four tie scores in a classic high-scoring conference match-up.

"We battled the entire game," commented Cobber head coach Brett Bruininks. "It was a blue-collar win – a win that we really needed."

The victory snaps a two-game losing streak for Concordia and pushes the Cobbers to .500 in their 17 games this year. CC is now 7-7-3 in all games. The victory also gives Concordia a much-needed two points in conference play. Concordia is 6-4-1 in the MIAC and jumps into sole possession of third place in the league standings.

In addition to Julius' overtime heroics, Concordia got a two-goal performance from sophomore forward Kelsey Vandegrift. Vandegrift scored the opening goal of the game at 5:13 of the first period on the power play and then put the Cobbers up 4-3 midway through the final frame. Vandegrift now has four goals on the season which ties her season output from last year.

Concordia could never shake the Wildcats as they posted leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 4-3. The Cobbers were never able to break away and get a two-goal cushion.

St. Kate's (8-9-1/5-5-1 MIAC) tied the game at the end of the first period before Anna Westmark netted her fourth goal of the year just 2:59 into the second period. The Cobber then watched the Wildcats score a pair of goals midway through the second and at the start of the third to grab a 3-2 lead.

The goals then came fast and furious in a 1:50 span midway through the third period. Senior defenseman Ali Nelson scored an unassisted goal at 11:31 and then Vandegrift picked up her second goal of the game at 12:52. Vandegrift's second goal was assisted by Julius and Macy Leland.

The 4-3 lead would be short lived as SCU scored only 29-seconds after Vandegrift's goal. The game-tying goal at 13:21 set the stage for the Cobbers' to win it in overtime.

Concordia was aided by an interference penalty in the final minute of the period which led to Julius' power play goal in OT. Julius notched her team-leading eighth goal of the year after the Cobbers pumped three shots on goal in the first minute of play in the extra period. Julius then finished off the game at 1:02 with an assist being given to Madison Gendreau. It was the second power-play goal for CC in the game. The Cobbers entered the game scoreless on man-advantage situations in their last two games.

Freshman goalie Madison Denny stopped 26 shots for the Cobbers as CC outshot St. Kate's 42-30 in the game. It is the first time this season that Concordia has surpassed the 40-shot mark in a game. SCU goaltender Alex Hall made 37 saves in the game.

The two teams will finish off their two-game series on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. at Drake Arena in St. Paul.