BLAINE, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women's hockey team saw its four-game winning streak to start the season come to an end with a 3-2 loss to Bethel University in its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opener on Friday night at the National Sports Center.

Bethel (2-1-0, 1-0-0 MIAC) scored late in the first period and again early in the second to take a 2-0 lead, but St. Olaf (4-1-0, 0-1-0 MIAC) responded with two goals in the space of less than three minutes to tie the game. The Royals capped a six-minute stretch of the game that included four goals with the game-winning power-play goal less than three minutes later in the second period.

Sophomores Solvei Berg-Messerole and Molly Terebayza netted their fourth goals of the season for the Oles in the loss, while first year Andi Huselid picked up assists on both goals. Huselid's two-assist game gave her a team-leading six assists through five games.

With the game still scoreless, Terebayza had a chance to give St. Olaf a 1-0 lead on a shorthanded breakaway with three minutes to go in the first period, but Anna Hanson came up with the save for Bethel. About a minute later, Lindsay Albers opened the scoring for the Royals with their first of two power-play goals in the game for the lone goal of the period.

Beth Velasco added a second goal just 1:40 into the second period for Bethel before St. Olaf got the goal back just 40 seconds later. After junior Grace Lankas got the puck to Huselid in the Oles' defensive zone, Huselid weaved out of the zone and got the puck to Terebayza at center ice. After crossing the blue line, Terebayza unleashed a shot that flew in under the bar from the top of the right circle for her fourth goal in the last three games.

Less than three minutes later, St. Olaf evened the score at 2-2 on a one-timer from Berg-Messerole off assists from Huselid and junior Hannah Metric. Metric got the puck at the left point and got the puck to the middle of the left circle to Huselid, who slid it across for Berg-Messerole to bury. The Royals responded just 2:15 later on a power-play goal by Lindsay Muntifering that stood as the game-winner.

Still facing a 3-2 deficit in the final minute of the third, St. Olaf pulled sophomore Hannah Fritz and had an opportunity to tie the game, but Hanson denied Terebazya in a 1-on-1 to help Bethel hang on. Hanson had 20 of her 23 saves over the final two periods for the Royals. Fritz made 15 saves in suffering her first loss of the season.

The two teams conclude their series on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. at St. Olaf Ice Arena.