ANGOLA, Ind. -- Senior Brandi Wilson (Fenton, Mich.) became just the second Trine University women's hockey player to record a hat trick as the team glided to a 7-2 victory over visiting Finlandia University.
The scoring started in the 14th minute of the first period. Off of an offensive zone faceoff, sophomore Madison Toor (Hartland Mich.) passed the puck back to the point where junior Makena Thompson (Anchorage, Alaska) who fired a shot toward the goal. Off of the save, senior Emily Moore (London, Ontario) bounced the puck off the back of the goalie's leg and into the net giving the team a 1-0 lead which they would take into the first intermission.
Wilson would win the opening faceoff of the second period forward toward the offensive end of the ice. Between herself and freshman Payton Hans (Johnson Creek, Wis.) the puck was passed back and forth until Wilson fired a shot into the back of the net to make the lead 2-0.
Before the end of the first minute, however, the Lions found the back of their net cutting into that lead again.
The final goal of the period came for the Thunder in the ninth minute. Freshman Anabelle Scriver (Holt, Mich.) made a play to keep the puck in the offensive zone before passing it down to the boards next to the left faceoff circle. From their junior Grace Canty (West Bloomfield, Mich.) passed it in toward the crease where sophomore Michelle Byker (Gurnee, Ill.) finished off the play pulling the team ahead by two once again at 3-1.
The next goal came in the fifth minute of the final period. Along the bench side boards, Byker was able to win the puck to teammate Kailey Mleko (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) who forwarded it into the offensive zone. There Wilson moved it the rest of the way to the goal and tallied her second goal of the evening.
In the eighth minute, Moore moved the puck out of the corner to the top of the circle in the offensive zone where senior Jade Pandres (Eagle River, Alaska) passed it toward the goal where Thompson was able to shoot it home making the score 5-1.
In the 17th minute of the period Finlandia scored their second and final goal to make the score 5-2. The ensuing faceoff saw Wilson record a win directly forward. She would go on to muscle her way through the entire Lion team and score her third goal unassisted.
The final goal of the game would come in the final minute of play. Hans took the puck most of the length of the ice and went top shelf on the goalie to make the score 7-2 with an assist added to senior Kirsten Vandenheuvel (Denfield, Ontario).
With the victory, the Thunder improve to 6-15-1 overall and 3-9-1 in Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) play. They will finish off the season doubleheader with Finlandia tomorrow, Tuesday, February 15. The game is set to start at 7:15 p.m.