ROCHESTER – The Packers went down fighting Saturday night at Graham Arena.

Monday, January 24, 2000

ROCHESTER – The Packers went down fighting Saturday night at Graham Arena.

Austin was greatly anticipating this game against the top team in the Big Nine, the Rochester Mayo Spartans. The Packers had shutout their last three opponents and were skating at a high level entering the game.

The Spartans, however, were up to the challenge. They scored two goals in the first period and a third in the second before the Packers could finally get on the scoreboard.

Austin’s Bobee Jo Lang scored on a breakaway two-thirds of the way through the second period, but that ended the scoring for the game and Mayo came away with a 3-1 win.

"We were back on our heels in the first period," Austin coach Denny Bray said. "I hate Saturday night games. The team just has too much time on its hands to think about the game."

The Spartans out-shot the Packers 14-6 in the first period.

Mayo got its first goal on the power play. Mayo sophomore defender Rebecca Marcus took a shot from the blue line that junior center Alex Zagaria put home past Austin goalie Katie Fedoryk.

Halfway through the period, Mayo senior wing Tasa Kostel got open on a rush and sent a knuckling shot flying from just inside the blue line that eluded Fedoryk. These two would get up close and personal at the end of the game. This time it was Fedoryk rushing at Kostel. There was some rough-and-tumble play in front of the Austin goal throughout the game. This time Fedoryk took exception to it and went after Kostel. They roughed it up for a couple of seconds before they were separated. Both players received just minor penalties for their participation in the fracas.

"We were lucky there that Katie didn’t get thrown out of the game," Bray said. "Katie and Kostel are pretty good friends."

At the end of the first period Austin’s leading scorer, Rhianna Jacobs, got hit in the same ankle that she broke last summer playing softball. She had to be helped off the ice. She would return and play just about the same number of minutes she normally would, but not at full strength.

The second period was Austin’s best 15 minutes of skating in the game even though Mayo scored first to make it 3-0. The score came at 4 minutes, 59 seconds of the period. Junior wing Molly Bahr skated down the right side of the ice. She put a shot on goal from the slot. Fedoryk made the save, but the rebound went right to junior Steph Thompson, who scored the goal.

With 4:45 remaining in the period Mayo took a penalty. Austin then scored on the power play at the 11:27 mark. Kellie Petersen sent a pass to Lang who skated in alone and beat Mayo goalie Kristen Distad. The official scorer said it was unassisted. Two other times it was Distad the winner of a one-on-one battle with Lang.

"Lang and Petersen skated well tonight," Bray said.

The Austin varsity (10-9, 7-4) next skates on Friday in Faribault. Tuesday’s game against Dodge County at Riverside Arena is now a junior varsity contest. The game against Northfield early in the season replaced it in the varsity schedule.

Mayo 2 1 0 – 3

Austin 0 1 0 – 1

First Period – 1, Mayo, Alex Zagaria (Rebecca Markus), 4:15, power play. 2, Mayo, Tasa Kostel, 7:53.

Second Period – 3, Mayo, Steph Thompson (Molly Bahr), 4:59. 4, Austin, Bobee Jo Lang, 11:27, pp.

Third Period – No scoring.

Shots on goal – Austin 6-7-4 17. Mayo 14-10-11 35.

Goalies – Austin, Katie Fedoryk (35-32). Mayo, Kristen Distad (17-16)

Penalties – Austin, 4 for eight minutes. Mayo, 6 for 12.