Seniors Sent Into Playoffs With Another Shutout

MOORHEAD, Minn. (2/22/14)—Concordia added to its school-record shutout total by blanking St. Catherine for the second straight game. The Cobbers scored three power play goals en route to a 4-0 victory over the Wildcats.

Freshman netminder Andrea Klug stopped all 32 shots she faced to give Concordia its eighth shutout of the season. That continues to add to the school record and is also tops in the MIAC and in the top 3 in all of NCAA Division III.

The Cobbers will now enter the postseason with a 10-1-1 record in their last 12 games. During that stretch Concordia has outscored its opponents 38-10 in that stretch of games. CC ends the regular season with a 12-9-4 record and an 11-5-2 mark in conference play. It is only the fourth time in school history that the team has won more than 10 league games in a season.

The difference in the regular-season finale with St. Catherine was on special teams. The Cobbers went 3-for-6 on the power play while holding the Wildcats scoreless in their seven man-advantage situations.

Concordia scored the first two goals of the game on the power play and then capped off the scoring with a power-play goal in the third period.

Bri Flynn added to her team-leading goal total when she knocked home her 10th goal of the season in the final five minutes of the opening period. Her goal at 15:49 was assisted by Madison Gendreau and Abby Taffe.

The Cobbers would add a second goal in the second period when Natasha Skala scored her second goal of the year at the 9:20 mark. Amber Schaack and Anna Westmark were credited with the assists. CC wasn't able to take advantage of a 16-4 edge in shots on goal in the period and took a 2-0 lead into the final frame.

The third period was all about the Concordia penalty-kill unit. CC wound up killing off five power plays in the period. The Cobbers were even able to double their lead despite being outshot 18-7.

Libby Fransdal recorded her first goal of the season at 1:59. Her blast from the right point was the only non power-play goal of the game. Fransdal now has a goal to go with her team-leading 10 assists on the season. Ellen Rethwisch picked up her sixth assist of the year on the play.

Gendreau finished off the scoring when she scored her seventh goal of the year at the 7:59 mark of the final frame. The goal came on the power play and defenseman Cassey Petrich was credited with her second assist in as many games.  Gendreau's goal pushes her into the team lead in points. The junior center now has seven goals and eight assists for 15 points.   

It is the second time this season that Concordia has scored three power play goals in a game.

The only thing left to decide in the game after Gendreau's goal was whether the stingy CC defense would post its second straight shutout and third in the last four games. Klug made sure there would be no goals scored as she kicked out all 18 shots she faced n the third period and 32 for the game.

Klug lowered her goals against average to 1.00 on the season and upped her save percentage to 95.8%. She leads the MIAC in both categories and is now second in the nation in both GAA and save percentage.

St. Catherine split the goaltending duties in the game. Starter Samantha Geissler made 24 saves while Abbi White stopped four shots.

The same two teams will now meet in the first round of the MIAC playoffs. The No.4-seed Cobbers will host the No.5-seed Wildcats on Friday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. at the Moorhead Sports Center.