First And Last Help Clinch Playoff Spot

WINONA, Minn. (2/14/14)—Concordia ended the 2013 calendar year carrying a 1-6-3 overall record and just a 1-4-2 mark in the MIAC. Fast forward 12 games and 45 days later and the Cobbers have now clinched their fourth consecutive conference playoff berth.     

Concordia scored on its very first shot against St. Mary's and very lost shot to beat the Cardinals 4-0 and extend its unbeaten streak to nine games. The Cobbers are 10-8-4 overall and 9-4-2 in the MIAC and have posted their seventh straight 10-win season.

Bekah Wright got Concordia on the board in the second minute of play when she scored on the team's very first shot of the night. For Wright it was her second goal in the last three games. She had only one point in the team's first 17 games but has four points in the last five games. Ellen Rethwisch and Libby Fransdal were given assists on the even-strength goal and the two would go on to team up on CC's third goal of the game.

Junior Kelsey Vandegrift put Concordia up 2-0 before the game was halfway through the opening period when she scored at the 8:04 mark. It was Vandegrift's third goal of the year and Bri Flynn and Madison Gendreau added to their team-leading point totals. Each player now has 12 points on the year.

Concordia held a slight 12-9 edge in shots in the opening period of play. The Cobbers went on to tighten their defense in the second period and only allowed the Cardinals to have three shots on goal in the middle period.  

Rethwisch netted the only goal of the second stanza when she scored at 5:23. Fransdal earned her second assist of the game and team-leading 10^th helper of the year.

The third period would be all about Cobber netminder Andrea Klug as St. Mary's held a decisive 16-6 edge in shots on goal. Klug kept her third clean sheet of the year as she stopped all 16 shots she faced in the third period and all 28 shots she faced in the game.

Freshman Kaya Baker capped off the scoring when she scored an empty-net goal on the team's final shot of the contest at 18:46 of the final frame. For Baker it was her fifth goal of the season and third in the last five games.

Cardinal goalie Marah Shields made 24 saves as both teams had 28 shots in the game.  

Neither team scored on the power play. CC was 0-for-4 and was held off the board in the first and third periods when they had two chances each. SMU was held scoreless in their two man-advantage situations.

The teams will finish off the two-game series on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. in Winona.