NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women's hockey team got out to a two-goal lead late in the second period, but visiting UW-Stevens Point scored the game's final five goals to defeat the Oles, 5-2, on Saturday afternoon at Northfield Ice Arena.

Sophomore Carolyn Carpenter scored her second-career goal for St. Olaf (0-2-0) in the opening period and senior Maddy Johnson doubled the Oles' lead in the second However, a pair of power-play goals late in the second period and three third-period goals helped UW-Stevens Point (2-0-0) complete the sweep.

Senior Xandi Swedberg set up Carpenter's first goal of the young season at 6:21 of the first period to give the Oles the lead after Kaitlyn Pellicci made eight saves in the early stages to keep the Pointers off the board. The score remained 1-0 until 12:34 of the second period when Molly Andrews threw the puck towards the net from the right boards and Johnson poked it home to give St. Olaf a two-goal advantage.

The Pointers started their rally with power-play goals from Lauren Smith and Alex Grubbs in the space of just over four minutes late in the second to tie the game at 2-2 after two. Cara Lemirande provided the game-winner for UW-Stevens Point off assists from Grubbs and Smith at 3:06 of the third and Grubbs netted her second of the game 1:17 later to put the Pointers on top, 4-2.

Emma Paravola added an empty-net goal with 2:21 remaining to close the scoring 36 seconds after the Oles pulled Pellicci in search of a late rally. Pellicci made 32 saves for St. Olaf, while Sydney Conley made 22 stops in her second win of the weekend for UW-Stevens Point.

The Oles open Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play on Friday, Nov. 9 by hosting nationally-ranked Gustavus at 7:30 p.m. at Northfield Ice Arena.