Warriors coast past Wildcats

By Aaron Schneider

MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Waldorf College hockey team coasted to a 5-0 victory over Northern Michigan University during Friday’s Northern Collegiate Hockey League (NCHL) matchup.

Five players contributed goals and nine players tallied points for the Warriors (18-9, 8-3), who extended their winning streak to five games. Waldorf entered the contest ranked No. 10 in the latest American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II Central Region poll.

Senior Christian Weber, junior Alex Fleming, sophomores Jeffrey Bartel, Buddy Napier and Drew Soderberg each scored goals for the Warriors.

Waldorf senior Jake Taylor provided two assists. The Warriors also received assists from Weber, Fleming, Napier, junior Artem Savelyev, sophomore Travis Park and freshman Robert Danyo.

Waldorf sophomore Ronald Paulson pitched his third shutout of the season and racked up 25 saves on the night.

The Warriors outshot the Wildcats 51-25. Northern Michigan goaltender Tyler Martz saved 46 of the 51 shots he faced.

Soderberg put Waldorf on the scoreboard 16 minutes into the first period when he took a pass from Napier and put it in the back of the net.

Napier struck four minutes into the second period by capitalizing off a pass from Taylor to extend the Warriors’ lead to 2-0.

Waldorf continued to build on its lead in the third period as Weber notched a goal following assists from Danyo and Fleming during the eighth minute of the period. Three minutes later, Fleming took advantage of a power play as Savelyev and Taylor set up the score to push the Warriors to a four-goal advantage.

Bartel delivered the final goal of the game when he connected on a power play during the 18th minute of the third period. Weber and Park contributed the assists.

Bartel has accumulated a team-leading 15 goals and is tied with Weber for a team-high 22 points on the season.

Waldorf concludes its series with the Wildcats (3-20, 2-9) on Saturday when the puck drops at 12 p.m.