#21 Nora Stepan – Augsburg University Auggies (Photo by Kevin Healy)
#2 Augsburg Auggies (5-1-1) vs #10 Gustavus Golden Gusties (4-3-0)
Friday & Saturday – December 5 / 6 – 7pm / 4pm CST
*Gustavus leads all-time series 46-14-4
Week six of the Women’s Division III season kicks off with a marquee home-and-home matchup between two top-ten nationally ranked MIAC programs. The #2 Augsburg Auggies face the #10 Gustavus Gusties, with Gustavus hosting Friday at 7 pm CST in Saint Peter, MN and Augsburg hosting Saturday at 4 pm CST at Ed Saugestad Rink in Minneapolis, MN. Gustavus holds a commanding 46-14-4 lead in the all-time series and has won four of the last five MIAC league titles (excluding the COVID season). The lone exception was last year, when Augsburg defeated Gustavus 3-2 in overtime to win the MIAC Championship before falling to the eventual back-to-back national champion Wisconsin-River Falls in the Frozen Four semifinals. Augsburg enters this weekend aiming for a third straight win over the Gusties.
Augsburg remains steady at #2 in the latest DIIIHockeyNews.com poll, holding their spot since opening week. The Auggies’ resume includes a sweep of #9 Adrian, plus wins over Concordia and St. Scholastica. Their only loss came against #1 Wisconsin-River Falls, who shut them out 4-0. Defensively, Augsburg has been sharp, giving up more than two goals only twice this season.
One of the biggest reasons is junior defenseman Nora Stepan, who leads the team with 10 points and seven assists. Her two-way presence gives Augsburg a reliable puck-mover and stabilizer at both ends of the ice. In goal, senior Marissa Paaske has been excellent, stopping 62 of 64 shots and carrying a .67 GAA along with the team’s only shutout. She has formed a strong tandem with Kayla Simonson, last year’s MIAC Rookie of the Year, who has a 2.36 GAA and 63 saves through four appearances.
#2 Lily Mortenson – Gustavus Adolphus Gusties (Photo by Natalie Thorson – Gustavus Sports Information)
Gustavus enters the matchup at 4-3-0, but the record undersells their ability. They opened the season with a 3-2 win over #6 St. Norbert before falling 2-1 in overtime the next day. The Gusties are still searching for their first weekend sweep of the season, and with the historical edge in the series, they’ll look to secure one here.
Offensively, Gustavus is led by captain Lily Mortenson, who has posted four goals and four assists for eight points in seven games. Her standout performance came against Concordia, where she scored twice in the Saturday matchup. Mortenson has also been responsible for multiple overtime game-winning-goals, her most recent coming against #12 Wisconsin-Eau Claire, winning 1-0 in OT on the road. However, the biggest question mark for Gustavus is in net. While Lily Timmons has held up well with a shutout, 1.28 GAA, and .933 save percentage, the overall goaltending picture remains something to monitor.
This weekend should be tightly contested, and goaltending may ultimately decide it. Augsburg has two reliable options in Paaske and Simonson, while Gustavus will need Timmons to continue her strong form to slow down the Auggie attack. Whichever team can break through first may dictate the pace both nights.
Augsburg looks to flip the all-time narrative and continue its rise after last season’s championship success, while Gustavus aims to keep historical momentum on their side. The series opens Friday at the Don Roberts Ice Rink in Saint Peter at 7 pm CST and concludes Saturday in Minneapolis at 4 pm CST.
