Falcons Silence the Thunder in the NCHA Opener

MEQUON, Wis. – The Falcons once again protected home ice on Friday evening. The Falcons opened NCHA play with a 6-3 victory to improve to 3-1 and 1-0-0 in the NCHA,

The Falcons wasted no time and scored eight seconds into the game when junior Isabela Noyle (Baltimore, Md.) stole the puck and threw it into the back of the net.

The Thunder leveled the game four minutes later.

Senior Emily Reimche (Billings, Mont.) started the scoring 54 seconds into the second period off assists from freshman Erika Graham (Brighton, Mich.) and senior Kaytlin Johnson (Black River Falls, Wis.).

The Blue and Gold once again tied the game two minutes later.

The Falcons regained the lead on the power play off the stick of Emily Reimche, with senior Sarah Pearson (South Range, Wis.) and senior Baileigh Johnson (Neillsville, Wis.) adding the assists.

The Thunder rumbled back with a power-play goal to send the teams into the third period, tied.

The third period was all Falcons with freshman Brooke Gibson (LaSalle, Wis.) scoring 53 seconds into the period with Isabela Noyle and freshman Katie Rahilly (Newberry, Mich.) earning the assists.

Three minutes later junior Colleen Gilligan (Colborne, Ont.) lit the lamp off a Brooke Gibson assist and freshman Amanda Bauer (Waunakee, Wis.) tipped in the final goal of the night.

Freshman Kami McCardle (Jackson, Wis.) earned her first collegiate victory in her first start with 25 saves.

The Falcons finished with 20 shots on Friday with Emily Reimche leading with four.

The CUW defense frustrated the Thunder all night and had 19 blocks. Sophomore Amanda Carney (Aurora, Ont.) led all players with three blocks.

The Falcons look to bring out the brooms on Saturday.