COLUMBUS, Ohio –The Minot State women’s hockey team opened their women’s ACHA Division II National Tournament pool-play today with a convincing 7-3 win Wednesday against the University at Buffalo.

Buffalo started the game off fast, winning the opening face off and scoring a quick goal. The Beavers killed off two penalties in the first period and had many scoring opportunities but couldn’t seem to make the puck find the net.

Buffalo was out quick in the second with a goal, however Minot State sophomore Mackenzie Balogh, assisted by Bryana Christensen started the comeback campaign just a few minutes later. The Beavers scored their second goal off the powerplay with a shot from Cass McGree that was tipped in by Vanessa Grimstad. Grimstad scored again in the second period to put the Beavers up 3-2 over Buffalo.

With under five minutes left in the second period, Buffalo’s goaltender left the net to make a play on the puck, but a steal by Bryanna Bergeron led to another goal for the Beavers, going up 4-2 on Buffalo. To close the second, Christensen was able to tip in a shot from Grimstad to bring their total to 5-2 over Buffalo.

Into the third, Sami Jo Henry scored the fifth goal for the Beavers, Grimstad scoring the sixth, and and Henry again for the seventh. Buffalo was able to score another goal during the third period but couldn’t stop the Beavers as they swept the ice.

Ultimately, Minot State outshot Buffalo 51-19 for a great start to the National Tournament. Minot sophomore goaltender Shelby Tornato made 16 saves for the Beavers.

The Beavers return to the ice today at 12:15 p.m. (central time) to face Liberty University at the Chiller Easton in Columbus.

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Schlaeger joins Beaver football staff

Minot State head football coach Mike Aldrich announced the addition of Rob Schlaeger as the Beavers defensive line coach. Schlaeger comes to Minot State after spending the 2017 season at Wyoming.

Schlaeger has also previously coached at West Florida and Southwest Minnesota State.

“We are really excited for Rob to be joining our staff and our football family,” said Aldrich. “I have worked with him before, and since that time he has been able to learn and grow with some outstanding coaches and great programs. He is smart, meticulous, trustworthy and a great motivator.”

Schlaeger served as a graduate assistant coach on the defensive side of the ball at Wyoming in 2017. The Cowboys finished the season with an 8-5 overall record and defeated Central Michigan 37-14 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Wyoming had one of the top defensive units in the country in 2017 as the Cowboys ranked ninth in the nation in scoring defense allowing just 17.5 points per game and were 23rd in the nation in total defense.

Schlaeger served as the outside linebackers coach at West Florida prior to joining the Cowboys staff. During its inaugural season in 2016, Schlaeger developed practice plans for the outside linebackers created scouting reports on opponents and participated in constructing game plans for upcoming games. On game days, he communicated directly with the defensive coordinator from the coaching booth in the press box. Schlaeger recruited parts of Alabama, as well as recruiting the states of Minnesota and Iowa and Kansas junior colleges.

West Florida went 5-6 in its first season of college football, including recording two shutouts and defeating No. 16 ranked Florida Institute of Technology.

Prior to his one season at West Florida, Schlaeger was an undergraduate assistant at Southwest Minnesota State from December 2011 to June 2016. He assisted in coaching the linebackers for three seasons and spent one season working with the defensive secondary. His final season of 2015, he was promoted to a graduate assistant position responsible for coaching the outside linebackers.

In 2013, Southwest Minnesota State earned its first-ever Division II bowl bid to the Mineral Water Bowl, and in 2015 it posted and 8-3 record, which is its best record at the Division II level.

Schlaeger earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education and sport management from Southwest Minnesota State in 2015, and completed his master’s degree in coaching of sport, also from Southwest Minnesota State, in 2016.

-Minot State athletics