Beavers travel to Pennsylvania for non-conference bout with Colonials

BSU Women’s Hockey faces Robert Morris for first road trip of 2024-25

The Bemidji State University Women’s Hockey team hits the road for the first time this season and will have the longest road trip of the season as the Beavers travel to Moon Township, Pa., to face Robert Morris University for a two-game, non-conference series.

The Beavers (0-2-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) and Colonials (1-1-0, 0-0-0 AHA) begin their series Friday, Oct. 4 at 6:00 p.m. CT followed by game two Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CT.

The Amber Fryklund era is underway for the BSU Women’s Hockey team after opening the 2024-25 season against No. 5 Ohio State University this past weekend.

Fryklund was hired as the sixth head coach in the Beaver women’s hockey program in April of 2024 but has served on the Beaver coaching staff for 10 seasons including five as an Associate Head Coach.

The Beavers were swept by the defending national champion Buckeyes at Sanford Center after OSU claimed an 8-2 victory in game one and then 3-0 in game two.

Sophomore Hailey Armstrong and redshirt freshman Isa Goettl scored the Beavers’ two goals in the series with Goettl scoring her first collegiate goal.

Freshman goaltender Kaitlin Groess shined in game two despite the loss as she turned aside 52-of-55 Buckeye shots in her collegiate debut.

It was the most saves by a Bemidji State freshman since Erin Deters stopped 61 shots on Jan. 17, 2015.

The Beavers’ penalty kill shined in the series hold last year’s third-best power play in the WCHA to just one goal on seven attempts (.833).

Bemidji State’s defense blocked 40 of the Buckeyes shot attempts and were led by sophomore Riley Reeves who blocked 11. She led the nation in blocked shots last season and is second to start the new season.

In her first season as head coach, Fryklund has welcomed back 15 returners from the 2023-24 season while adding 12 newcomers to the squad.

The Beavers will have one graduate and six seniors lead the team followed by three juniors, eight sophomores, and nine freshmen.

The Beavers’ roster consists of 15 forwards, eight defensemen and four goaltenders.

Senior Alyssa Watkins was voted by her peers to captain the team during the season and is the 40th team captain in the program’s history. She is joined by senior Genevieve Hendrickson and junior Mya Headrick who will serve as alternate captains.

Sophomore Hailey Armstrong highlights the team’s top returners after leading the team in goals last season as a freshman. She finished the season with nine goals the most by a BSU freshman since Tara Hiscock (9) in 2004-05.

The Beavers graduated four of its top five scorers from last season including 17 of the team’s 42 goals (40.5%).

BSU’s strength this season is its defensive group and returns five defensemen who played key minutes during last season while also adding experience defensemen in Meredith Killian and Heidi Strompf.

Sophomore goaltender Eva Filippova returns for the Beavers after leading the Beavers in games played (24), minutes (1156) and wins (4).

Bemidji State’s top returning goal scorers from last season are Armstrong (9), Talya Hendrickson (3), Watkins (3), Shelby Breiland (2), Kate Johnson (2) and Oliva Dronen (2).

Three transfers join the team while eight freshmen and one international upperclassman debut for the green and white.

Graduate goaltender Josie Bothun highlights the transfer list after playing four seasons at Penn State University where she broke the program’s career records in wins (70) and shutouts (19).

Also transferring to the Beavers this season is senior defenseman Meredith Killian (Union) and redshirt freshman forward Isa Goettl (Minnesota).

Killian played three seasons at Union College and served as the team’s captain during the 2023-24 season while Goettl appeared in one game for the Gophers but was awarded a redshirt following last season.

Eight freshmen join the program for their first season in NCAA Division I women’s hockey. The group consists of five forwards, one defenseman and two goaltenders.

The Beavers’ roster consists of 17 Minnesotan’s, 19 from the U.S., five from Canada, and three from Europe.

2024-25 is the 27th season in Bemidji State Women’s Hockey history and the program is 275-544-80 (.351) in 897 games played.

Bemidji State matches up against Robert Morris for just the 14th time in the two program’s histories.

The Beavers have dominated the all-time series and are 9-3-1 against the Colonials and earned a 3-1 victory after meeting last year during the Battle at the Burgh Tournament.

Then freshman Hailey Armstrong scored two of the Beavers’ three goals in the game including the game-winning goal.

The Beavers are 6-0-0 when facing the Colonials on the road and are on a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1).