ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Round one in this top 10 battle went against the Beavers.

The Minot State women's hockey team scored early in their return to the ice after the holiday break, but in the end fell 3-1 to host and fourth-ranked Lindenwood on Saturday in the first of two games between the highly-ranked teams.

In a rematch of last spring's ACHA national semifinal, the sixth-ranked Beavers started strong as Riley Ball scored 80 seconds into the action as she put away assists by Sydney Spicer and Hannah Gray.

But that early goal proved to be all the Beavers (14-4-0 overall, 6-2-0 WMCH) got in the Women's Midwest Collegiate Hockey matchup as the Lions (13-3-1, 7-1-1) got a goal each from Ardyn Hawryshko, Dakota McAlpine, and Kennedy Frank, battling back to take the win.

Jordan Ivanco made 19 saves in goal in the game for Minot State, which looks to even the series when the two teams play again at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday in Missouri.