ASHLAND, Wis. – The Northland College Women's Hockey team scored its first goal of the season in the 4-2 loss against Lawrence University Friday night in Ashland, Wis. Sophomore Kennedy Gruhlke scored her first collegiate goal to open the game's scoring.
 
Kyleigh Moffatt had the first shot of the game for the Jills four minutes in. The opening period was pretty even for both teams with Lawrence tallying seven shots to Northland's four. Both teams remain off the scoreboard in the first 20 minutes and it was the first time this season Northland held its opponent out of the net for a period.
 
Gruhlke scored her first collegiate goal eight minutes into the second period to open up the scoring after following up a deflected shot. Nevaeh Trihey and Moffatt assisted on the opening goal. Karsen Nicksic had a chance to add another but was turned away. The Vikings leveled the game with just under six minutes remaining.
 
A Northland penalty late in the second period gave the Vikings the man advantage to start the third. Two seconds after the penalty ended, Lawrence scored to take its first lead of the game. Five minutes into the period the teams were four-on-four and Moffatt netted her first of the year to knot the game up at two. Northland continued to have shots but couldn't retake the lead. The Vikings scored the go-ahead goal with seven minutes remaining and ended the game with their four three minutes later to win 4-2.
 
Gruhlke and Moffatt both scored their first goal of the season in game one of the two-game series. Trihey and Moffatt also earned a point from an assist. The Jills had their most shots in a game with 17 and three student-athletes paced the team with three: Moffatt, Gruhlke, and Kylie Schryer. The defense blocked 10 shots with Bre Rutz stopping a team-high three and Hannah Chady had two. In net, Zoe Laming made 35 saves.
 
The LumberJills and Vikings end their series tomorrow (Saturday) with a 2 p.m., puck drop.
 
Northland College is an NCAA Division III institution located in Ashland, WI. The LumberJacks and LumberJills sponsor 14 varsity sports and compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, Midwest Lacrosse Conference, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.