University of St. Thomas Athletics
Sajevic lifts Tommies to 4-3 win at Lindenwood
9/27/2025 12:35:00 AM | Women's Hockey
ST. CHARLES, MO. – The University of St. Thomas women's hockey team is off and running to open the 2025-26 season. The Tommies are now 3-0-0 after a dramatic 4-3 win over Lindenwood University. Cara Sajevic (Shoreview, Minn. / Gentry Academy) scored the game winning goal in the final minute of regulation, helping St. Thomas remain perfect to open the new season.
QUICK HITS:
The Tommies scored three goals in the first period, propelling them to an early 4-3 lead. Rylee Bartz (Fargo, N.D. / Warroad), JuliAnna Gazdik (Somerset, Wis. / Gentry Academy) and Ilsa Lindaman (Duluth, Minn. / Marshall) scored for St. Thomas in the first before Lindenwood scored three unanswered goals in the first and third periods. Cara Sajevic (Shoreview, Minn. / Gentry Academy) then scored the game winner with 0:58 left in regulation.
SCORING SUMMARY:
First Period: The reigning WCHA Forward of the Week Bartz wasted no time getting St. Thomas on the board, scoring the first goal of the game at 8:48 in the first period. Gazdik quickly made it 2-0 Tommies, scoring at 10:07, before Lindaman extended the lead to 3-0 90 seconds later. Lindenwood did score a power play goal late in the period to cut the St. Thomas lead to 3-1.
Second Period: The 3-1 score held through the second period despite the Tommies peppering Lions starting netminder Madison Bowtell with 15 shots. St. Thomas did have an early power play opportunity, as Lindenwood's Paige Cline was sent to the box for boarding, but the Tommies were unable to capitalize.
Third Period: St. Thomas started the third period on a power play, as Silje Gundersen was called for interference with 21 seconds remaining in the season period. However, it wasn't the Tommies who lit the lamp in the third period. It was the Lions who scored two unanswered goals to make it 3-3 with under two minutes left on the clock. Sajevic was then the hero for St. Thomas, scoring in the final minute of the game to secure the victory for the Tommies.
TOP TOMMIES
- Cara Sajevic (Shoreview, Minn. / Gentry Academy) scored second goal of the season on Friday and the first game winning goal of her career with St. Thomas. Ella Boerger (Andover, Minn. / Andover) was credited with the assist.
- Rylee Bartz (Fargo, N.D. / Warroad) and Ilsa Lindaman (Duluth, Minn. / Marshall) both ended the game with one goal and one assist for the Tommies, while JuliAnna Gazdik (Somerset, Wis. / Gentry Academy) scored her first career goal in St. Thomas purple.
UP NEXT
The Tommies will be back in action on Saturday, as they take on Lindenwood in the second game of the series. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri.
