AUSTIN — Katie Cummings scored just more than six minutes into Saturday’s Big Nine Conference girls hockey game at Riverside Arena.
Cummings broke open a dam for her team and herself as the Spartans routed rival Austin 8-3.
Cummings had her biggest game of the season, a six-point night — a hat trick and three assists — as the Spartans built leads of 3-0 after one period and 5-2 after two.
Claire Siems got in on the high-scoring act, too, with a goal and three assists. Natalie Campbell (two goals, one assist) and Elle Roth (one goal, two assists) both had three-point games.
Grace Kober made 19 saves in the win, as Mayo improved 4-7-0 in the Big Nine and 5-12-0 overall.
Sarah Wangen (1-10-0, 1-16-0) led Austin with a goal and an assist.
Mayo plays at Mankato West at 7:15 p.m. Monday; Austin plays at Windom at 7 p.m. Monday.
MAYO 8, AUSTIN 3
Mayo 3-2-3 — 8
Austin 0-2-1 — 3
Mayo: Milania Black 1 goal; Claire Siems 1 goal, 3 assists; Katie Cummings 3 goals, 3 assists; Natalie Campbell 2 goals, 1 assist; Elle Roth 1 goal, 2 assists. Goalie: Grace Kober 19 saves (22 shots).
Austin: Sarah Wangen 1 goal, 1 assist; Maci Talamantes 1 assist; Peyton Squier 1 goal; Alyssa Vlasaty 1 goal; Lauren Bowe 1 assist. Goalie: Chloe Schaal 32 saves (40 shots).
KASSON — A battle of state-ranked teams was as closely contested as expected, but went the wrong way for the homesteading Dodge County girls hockey team on Saturday at Dodge County Ice Arena.
The No. 8-ranked Wildcats fell behind early and dropped a close 3-2 decision against No. 14-ranked Luverne.
Luverne led 2-0 after one period, but Maysie Koch cut the Wildcats’ deficit in half in the second period, scoring a short-handed goal 6:06 into the period. The score remained 2-1 heading into the third.
Luverne went up 3-1 with just fewer than five minutes to play on an Ellisyn Van Batavia power-play goal.
Dodge County pulled back within one with 17 seconds to go on Koch’s second goal of the night.
Ida Huber made 12 saves in the loss for Dodge County (14-5-0 overall), which outshot Luverne 29-15. Luverne improved to 14-5-0.
Dodge County is back in action at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Lakeville South.
LUVERNE 3, DODGE CO. 2
Luverne 2-0-1 — 3
Dodge County 0-1-1 — 2
Luverne: Tenley Behr 1 goal; Payton Behr 2 assists; Ellisyn Van Batavia 1 goal; Kamryn Van Batavia 1 goal; Greta McClure 1 assist. Goalie: Mallory Van Tersch 27 saves (29 shots).
Dodge County: Maysie Koch 2 goals; Nora Carstensen 1 assist; Mollie Koch 1 assist. Goalie: Ida Huber 12 saves (15 shots).
Albert Lea 5, Century/JM 1
ALBERT LEA — Albert Lea scored the first four goals of the game and never allowed Century/John Marshall to gain momentum, beating the Panthers 5-1 at Albert Lea City Arena in a Big Nine Conference girls hockey game.
Albert Lea led 2-0 after one period, then extended that lead to 4-0 when Haley Austinson and Morgan Goskeson scored within 13 seconds of each other midway through the second period.
Kailey Birkestrand scored for Century/JM two minutes later, but that was the only shot to beat Tigers goalie Jayda Moyer (15 saves).
Abigail Conners was sharp throughout, making 35 saves for the Panthers.
Albert Lea is now 8-2-0 in the Big Nine, 12-6-0 overall.
Century/JM (6-4-0 Big Nine, 7-13-1 overall) plays at Owatonna at 7 p.m. Monday.
ALBERT LEA 5, CENTURY/JM 1
Century/JM 0-1-0 — 1
Albert Lea 2-2-1 — 5
Century/John Marshall: Kailey Birkestrand 1 goal; Megan Gamble 1 assist. Goalie: Abigail Conners 35 saves (40 shots).
Albert Lea: Haley Austinson 2 goals, 3 assists; Hanna Austinson 1 goal, 1 assist; Morgan Goskeson 2 goals, 1 assist; Mika Cichosz 1 assist. Goalie: Jayda Moyer 15 saves (16 shots).
RED WING 9, SOUTH ST. PAUL 1
Red Wing 1-0-0 — 1
So. St. Paul 2-2-5 — 9
Red Wing: Grace Handwerk 1 goal; Tatum Zylka 1 assist. Goalie: Allie Meyer 36 saves (45 shots).
South St. Paul: Sidney Thompson 1 assist; Paige Johnson 1 assist; Lily Pachl 1 goal, 1 assist; Kylie Stengel 3 goals; Liberty Felton 1 assist; Eva Beck 2 assists; Annie Felton 1 assist; Bailey Vesper 2 goals, 3 assists; Sarah Wincentsen 2 goals, 3 assists; Kylie Evazich 1 goal. Goalie: Molly Jeffrey 7 saves (8 shots).
— — —
NORTHFIELD 9, WINONA 0
Northfield 5-3-1 — 9
Winona 0-0-0 — 0
Northfield: Ayla Puppe 4 goals, 1 assist; Grace McCoshen 1 goal, 1 assist; Olivia Rasmussen 1 assist; Emerson Garlie 3 goals; Tove Sorensen 1 assist; Emily Beaham 1 assist; Mia Miller 2 assists; Eloise DeBus 1 goal. Goalie: Macy Mueller 10 saves (10 shots).
Winona: Goalies: Aliya Gricius 43 saves (52 shots); Maddie Berg 1 save (1 shot).
