Written by Tyler Kuehl
 
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – After dropping their last three games, the women's hockey team felt poised to get back into the win column against an opponent they have had success against in recent memory, the Aquinas Saints. The Saints were coming off three consecutive losses of their own heading into Friday's matchup.
 
The Panthers came out flying in the offensive end, but could not find the back of the net. The Saints play picked up during their second, leading to three goals which proved to be the deciding factor, as the Panthers struggled to beat Aquinas' netminder.
 
QUICK STATS
 
Final Score: Davenport 0 – Aquinas 3
Shots: DU 37 | AQ 35
Power Play: DU (0/2) | AQ (0/1)
Records: DU (3-5-1) | AQ (3-7)
 
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DU went to work in the first 20 minutes of the contest. They were getting pucks to the net and creating plenty of good scoring chances. However, Aquinas' Ally Kennedy shut the door on the Panthers on every single opportunity. Kennedy, who finished second to Julia Gaynor last season for most saves in the ACHA, stopped all 17 shots she faced in the first period. Dayna Templeton held her own in the DU net, stopping the nine Saints' shots in the period.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
 
The Saints started to take the play to the Panthers in the second period. Just before the halfway mark of the stanza, Madison Morgrette scored her first goal of the season to give Aquinas the lead. A little over a couple minutes later, Ashley Reese would find a way to beat Templeton for her second goal of the season to extend the Saints' lead. In the dying minutes of the frame, Aquinas' leading scorer, Natalie Vaitas scored her sixth goal of the season, and after an impressive second period, the Saints led the Panthers by three.
 
The third period saw DU pickup the pressure, but once again Kennedy was there. She would end up earning her second shutout of the season, as the Saints would beat the Panthers for only the second time in their history with the 3-0 win.
 
WHO'S NEXT?
 
DU is right back in action Saturday afternoon, as they take on D2 opponent University of Michigan-Dearborn. In their first season, the Wolverines have dominated their competition. They have started the season 7-0, only giving up five goals in the process.
 
Puck drop at Patterson is set for 3:30 p.m.