ANGOLA, Ind. – Chloe Downey secured a hat trick to lead the Trine University women's hockey team to a 4-2 victory over visiting Stevenson University, securing a weekend sweep. Downey becomes just the fourth player in program history to record a hat trick and the first since February 18, 2023.
Downey scored her first in the waning seconds of the first period. An errant pass by the Mustangs ended with the puck on the stick of Mackenzye Santora who threaded a pass to Downey. The sophomore went the rest of the way into the offensive end of the ice, firing a shot on the far side of the net to give the team a 1-0 lead for the first intermission.
The Thunder added to their lead in the tenth minute of the second. Working the powerplay offense, Hannah Lambers and Nevada Weisbrod passed the puck back and forth at the point, with Lambers eventually moving up the far boards. She fired a pass to the near side where Sydney Streb was waiting. Streb was harried by a Stevenson defender and had to make a diving pass back toward the slot. Lambers had followed her pass and was waiting to fire a shot into the back of the net.
Downey finished off her hat trick in the final three minutes of the period, recording two goals and giving the team a 4-0 lead for the second intermission. The first came in the 18th minute with Dorka Gengeliczky causing a turnover while on the penalty kill. The puck ended up in the neutral zone with Downey converting on the breakaway.
The final Thunder goal came with just five seconds left in the period. Sofia Koppa and Lauren Lacroix made passes in the offensive zone, eventually finding Downey in the near faceoff circle where she converted on the shot.
Abby Hargrave-Thomas played the game in net, the first start of her Thunder career. She took a well-earned shutout into the third period. She ultimately finished the game with 27 saves, despite allowing a pair of goals in the third. Trine didn't score in the final stanza and the 4-2 score eventually went final.
The Thunder improve to 3-4-1 overall after the weekend sweep. The team will return to Northern Collegiate Hockey Association play when they next take the ice. They are set to travel to De Pere, Wis. for a pair of games against nationally ranked St. Norbert College. The first is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Friday, December 5.
