The Minot State women’s ice hockey team opened the 2026 portion of their season on the right foot with a two-game sweep of the University of Jamestown.

Kaitlyn Snyder scored the game-winning goal with 6:47 remaining in regulation to give the Beavers a 2-1 victory on Friday, Jan. 9. The following afternoon, Minot State received first-time scoring contributions from Journey Miller and Payton Lang for a 3-2 win on Saturday, Jan. 10, at All Seasons Arena. The Beavers have won all four meetings with the Jimmies so far this season.

Scoring was at a premium on Friday, with neither team able to find the back of the net through the first two periods. The Jimmies (4-11-1 overall, 3-11-1 WMCH) broke through early in the third, as Jayden Baker snuck a shot past Minot State goaltender Jillian Ackerman at 2:49 of the stanza.

Minot State (9-5-5, 7-5-1) rallied, scoring the final two goals. Marlie Rutherford tied the game with 14:35 and Snyder netted the game-winner. The Beavers only recorded four shots on goal in the final period, but scored on half of them. Minot State held a 20-15 edge in shots on goal.

Ackerman finished with 14 saves. Jamestown goaltender Madelynne Sylvestre stopped 18 shots.

The Beavers didn’t wait until the third period to get on the board on Saturday, scoring at 13:46 of the first frame while shorthanded to grab a 1-0 lead. Miller – playing in her first series in a Beavers uniform – netted her first goal of the season.

Lang followed suit with her first goal of the season, scoring at 8:28 of the second period. Jamestown cut the Beavers’ lead in half on the power play at 7:42 of the third period, but Beard answered less than a minute later.

Alivia Tilbury once again brought the Jimmies to within a goal of tying the game at 3-2 with 8:46 remaining, but couldn’t net the equalizer as Ackerman finished with 22 saves. She faced nine combined shots through the first 40 minutes before seeing 15 shots in the third.

Lilah Drew suffered the loss for Jamestown, stopping 31 shots.

Minot State hosts a weekend series against Indiana Tech at All Seasons Arena beginning Friday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m.