Leveille's hat trick lifts Pipers into MIAC semifinals

Leveille (So., Appleton, Wis.) scored her first goal early in the game, putting an unassisted score into the net at 3:18 in the first period.

The score remained 1-0 in favor of the Pipers for the remainder of the first period. After nearly 20 minutes of playing time without a goal light flash, Royal Kassie Sullivan (Fy., Roseville, Minn.) tied up the game on an unassisted goal at 3:43 in the second.

Bethel scored again less that two minutes later to take their only lead of the game, as Sanda Felten (Jr., Cashton, Wis.) scored a power play goal at 5:09. Kelsea Martalock (Fy., Tomah, Wis.) was credited with the assist.

Five minutes later, Leveille scored two consecutive power play goals with assists credited to the defensive pair of Sophie Davidson (So., St. Paul, Minn.) and Marie Gross (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn.). Leveille’s two goals gave Hamline a 3-2 lead.

The third period saw several more visitors to the penalty box and two goals from Hamline first-year player Alli Miller (Fairbault, Minn.). Miller scored her first goal at 16:13. Bethel pulled their goalie shortly after that score, and Miller added an empty-net goal at 17:40 to put the game out of reach for the Pipers.

Hamline improved to 14-9-3, 8-7-3 MIAC with the win, while the Royals finished their season at 11-12-2, 8-9-1 MIAC. The Pipers travel to Gustavus on Saturday, March 1 for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop in the MIAC semifinals.

Hamline University belongs to the NCAA Division III Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, one of the most competitive conferences in the nation. Hamline supports 19 intercollegiate athletic teams for men and women. Find out more about Hamline athletics at www.hamline.edu/hamline_info/athletics.

Creative and innovative teaching and learning attract a diverse student body of nearly 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students to Hamline University. Challenged to create and apply knowledge in local and global contexts, Hamline students develop an individual and community ethic of social justice, civic responsibility, and inclusive leadership and service.

Ranked first in Minnesota among comprehensive master’s universities by U.S.News & World Report, Hamline is also Minnesota’s first university, founded in 1854, and among the first co-educational institutions in the nation.