SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The Hamline University women's hockey team hosted cross-town rival St. Catherine University on the front-end of a home-and-home series at TRIA Rink on Friday night. The Pipers came through with a 4-1 victory over the Wildcats in front of 338 spectators.

Hamline improves to 3-2, 2-1 MIAC, while St. Catherine falls to 4-3, 0-3 MIAC.

Hamline 4, St. Catherine 1

St. Catherine was the victim of all five penalties called in the contest. Hamline capitalized on their first power play opportunity as Sophie Rausch put home a shot off a feed from Rae Robert and Lauren Donnellan at the 7:35 mark of the first, which made the score 1-0. Jordan Hansen gave the Pipers a 2-0 lead 37 seconds later at the 8:12 mark, before Abby Pirkl scored St. Catherine's lone goal at 9:23 of the first to cut their deficit to 2-1.

Defenseman Hannah Dorsey took a pass from Rausch, and registered her first goal of the season from the top of the point at 6:21 of the second period to widen Hamline's cushion to 3-1. Rausch iced the game with an empty-net tally at 19:02 of the third to make things 4-1.

Molly Garin led all players with 12 shots for Hamline, who held a 39-15 advantage in that department over the Wildcats. Rausch led the Hamline offense with two goals and one assist.

Ava Bailey tallied 14 saves in a complete-game goaltending win for Hamline, while her counterpart Abby Severson stopped 35 shots for the Wildcats over 58:50 of action.

Hamline will make the return trip to St. Catherine's Drake Arena tomorrow, Saturday, November 20 at 2:00 p.m.