C.C. Hayes (27) during the Yellowjackets 3-1 win on Fridya, Nov. 1
Photo by Marya Zajchowski

If the first weekend is any indication, the Yellowjacket women’s hockey team is going to have some fun and win some games in 2019-20.

After opening the season with a 3-1 victory on Friday Nov. 1, the Yellowjackets completed the weekend sweep of Concordia University (Wis.) the next day, getting goals from five different scorers on the way to a 5-1 victory at Wessman Arena. The Yellowjackets open the season 2-0-0 for the first time since 2014-15.

In game one, sophomore forward C.C. Hayes (Fort Frances, Ontario/Fort Frances) scored a goal and assist and senior goaltender Catherine Johnson (Lakeville, Minn./St. Paul Academy) stopped 23 shots as the women’s hockey team defeated Concordia Wisconsin, 3-1 in the season opener for both team.

Junior Megan Dulong (Grand Rapids, Minn./Grand Rapids) scored the game-winning goal at 5:20 of the second period on a rebound. Hayes and Jenna Curtis (Webster, Wis./Webster) earned assists on the play that made it 2-0. Senior Kaleigh Martinson (Dayton, Minn./Champlin Park) gave UWS a three-goal advantage just 31 seconds into the third.

Concordia Wisconsin got on the scoreboard with a power-play goal at 2:16 from Emily Reimche. The goal was assisted by Kaytlin Johnson and Madi Chapman.

The ‘Jackets controlled play throughout, doubling up on the Falcons in shots on goal, 42-24, with the help of a 19-3 advantage in the first period. Even so, it took the UWS nearly the entire first period to find the net.

With the win, the Yellowjackets improve to 17-5-0 all-time in season openers.

The Yellowjackets did major damage early in the second game, putting their foot on the gas early and scoring not once, but twice before the game was two minutes old.

Freshman Cassie McClure (Duluth, Minn./Denfield) opened the scoring, letting shot go from between the faceoff circles just 32 seconds into the period. Dulong picked up the only assist.

Before the public address announcer could finish announcing the goal, the Yellowjackets potted another, this time freshman Ashley Schintz (Isanti, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti) scored her first collegiate goal, scoring on a rebounded shot from Hayes to make it 2-0. Myka Sutherland (Champlin, Minn./Home School) also picked up an assist.

It went to 3-0 at 14:37 of the opening period when Tessa Jorde (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) took a pass in the right circle from Cassie McClure and wristed a puck past Breanna Thomson of Concordia for her first goal of the season. Jenna Byfuglien (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) earned an assist on the goal as well.

Concordia would get on the board at 13:16 of the second period when Emily Godwin scored on the power play to make it 3-1. The Yellowjackets had an answer less than two minutes later. Martinson picked up a loose puck in the left wing corner and stickhandled her way to the front of the net, lifting a shot over the shoulder of Thomson for her second of the year to make it 4-1.

In the third period, a shot from the blue line went wide of the Concordia goal, but Hayes played the carom perfectly, getting the loose puck at the right post and putting a backhand past Thomson for her second goal of the year, making the final score 5-1.

Johnson made her second straight start in goal and picked up the win, finishing with 22 saves.

The Yellowjackets next play on Friday, Nov. 8 at Tria Rink in St. Paul, Minn. against Hamline University.