Defense Makes A Stand

MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/14/15)—The offense has been stealing the headlines for Concordia in the first three games of the year. On Saturday junior goalie Andrea Klug made sure people realize the Cobbers have a pretty good defense as well.

Klug stopped all 29 shots she faced to shutout St. Benedict for the second straight game and helped Concordia post a 3-0 win. Klug posted the shutout win in the Cobbers' 5-0 victory over the Blazers on Friday. For the weekend she stopped all 56 shots she faced and recorded her seventh and eighth career shutouts.

Klug's no-goal weekend dropped her season goals against average to 1.68 and raised her save percentage to 94.4%.

As solid as Klug has been between the pipes for Concordia, junior Jessica Kongelf has been in putting pucks between opposing team's pipes. Kongelf scored a pair of goals on Friday –including the game winner – and on Saturday she opened the scoring in the first period which proved to be the eventual game winner.

Kongelf has now scored at least one goal in all four games this season and now has five goals and a team-high seven points. She currently leads the MIAC in total points and goals scored.

Kongelf gave Concordia another early lead by finding the back of the net at the 2:04 mark of the opening period. She was able to get around the back of the St. Ben's defense on the right wing and drove to the net before sliding the puck under the goalie's pads.

Anna Westmak and Cassey Petrich set up Kongelf's game winner. Westmark now has six points for the year and has at least one point in all four games.

The Cobbers doubled the lead just before the first intermission when Kara Tupa scored her first collegiate goal. Tupa's nugget at 19:30 was assisted by Hannah Johnston and Jess Nelson and gave CC breathing room heading into the second period.

The two goals would be all the Klug and the defense needed. The Cobbers allowed only five shots on goal in the second period and then 10 in the final frame.

Nelson finished off the scoring late in the third period when she scored her first goal of the season. Morgan Bruns and Kristin Drechsel were credited with the assists on the goal at 17:45. It was Bruns' fourth assist of the year which is tied for league lead.

Concordia had 31 shots on goal and has had at least 30 shots in three straight games. Amber Schaack once again led CC in shots on goal. She posted five shots and now has a MIAC-leading 26 shots on goal for the season.

WHAT'S NEXT:  Concordia will put their shutout streak on the line when they host St. Catherine next weekend on Friday and Saturday. Both games will be played at the Moorhead Sports Center.