NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Seniors Kate Carfagnini and Sophie McBane both scored twice to lead the St. Olaf College women's hockey team to a 5-0 victory and a sweep of the College of St. Scholastica on Saturday evening at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

Carfagnini scored twice in the first period and McBane added two of the three second-period goals for St. Olaf (10-10-1, 7-6-1 MIAC), which shut out St. Scholastica (4-17-0, 2-12-0 MIAC) to most in to the top-five spots in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) standings. The Oles are one point ahead of the College of Saint Benedict in the final playoff spot with two series remaining.

The game was St. Olaf's annual game in support of Sophie's Squad, a non-profit organization that provides education and awareness to improve the mental health of athletes by encouraging open conversations and emphasizing that help is a sign of strength. It was also part of a celebration of National Girls & Women in Sports Day, which occurred earlier in the week.

Carfagnini added an assist to her first-career two-goal game to finish with a career-high three points to lead five Oles with multiple points in the win. First year Bella LaMere picked up a goal and an assist, while juniors MaKenna Beaver and Molly Terebayza each had two assists, in addition to McBane's two-goal outing.

First year Baylyn Shankman continued the perfect start to her career by logging her third shutout in as many collegiate starts with a 16-save night. Shankman has saved all 78 shots she has faced in her four collegiate appearances spanning 209:45 between the pipes.

Carfagnini gave the Oles an early lead just 1:57 in off assists from LaMere and senior Rachel Wieland before doubling St. Olaf's advantage at the 11:14 mark of the opening period by slotting home a rebound off a shot by Beaver from the left side. Carfagnini's two-goal performance brought her season total to five.

St. Olaf broke the game open in the second period with goals from McBane on either side of one from LaMere to establish a 5-0 lead after two. Terebayza registered assists on both of McBane's goals, with the second coming on a power play in the final two minutes of the period. The two-goal night moved McBane into the team lead with eight goals on the season.

Carfagnini and Beaver were credited with the assists on LaMere's goal midway through the second, as the first year got her fifth of the year and second in as many days. St. Olaf outshot St. Scholastica by a 14-2 margin in shots on goal in the second period and a 10-4 margin in the scoreless third period.

The Oles will take on third-place Saint Mary's University next weekend, starting with a 7 p.m. puck drop on Friday, Feb. 14 in Winona.