SAINT PAUL, MINN - The Hamline University women's hockey team welcomed Bethel to Tria Rink for a Friday-night conference game. The Piper's two goal opening period was the deciding factor to lead them past the Royals on senior night. The seniors stepped up for Hamline with stellar performances from Olivia Rinzel, Cheyenne Abear, Emme Nelson, Sydney Lemke, and Payton Luff. 
 
Hamline improves to 17-7, 12-5 in MIAC play, while Bethel falls to 14-9-1, 8-8-1 in conference. 
 
Hamline 3, Bethel 1
 
Hamline got the scoring started early tonight on senior night. The Pipers tallied the first goal of the game at 17:35 coming from senior forward Cheyenne Abear with Emme Nelson assisting on the goal making the score 1-0. Later on in the period sophomore Annika Lindgren scores her sixth goal of the season to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Pipers. The goal came at 7:06 in the opening period with junior Erika Broten and senior Sydney Lemke assisting her on the play. Senior goalie Olivia Rinzel faced only two shots in the period equally to two saves, while her counterpart for the Royals Anna Hanson faced 15 shots, only being able to save 13 of the shots. 
 
The second period consisted of great defense on both sides of the ice by the Pipers and Royals. Bethel's goalie Hanson recorded 11 more saves making her total after the first two periods of the night 24. Rinzel for Hamline has saved all eight of the shots on goal by the Royals keeping them scoreless. The Pipers have out shot Bethel 26 to 8 heading into the final intermission keeping the score at 2-0. 
The final period looked a lot like the second with awesome defensive stops by each team until the scoring started late in the period. The teams traded shutting down power plays with the goalies playing some inspiring hockey. The Pipers scored at 5:10 in the third with a goal from Freshman phenom Annabel Mehta to make the score 3-0. The assists came from Abigail Chamernick and Payton Luff. The Royals quickly responded with a goal from Alison Hoerer to make the score 3-1. Rinzel for the Pipers recorded 16 saves while her counterpart Hanson for the Royals made 37. 
 
Hamline heads to Blaine, Minnesota tomorrow to wrap up the regular season facing the Bethel Royals at 6 p.m.