KICK STOP — Fairmont Area defender Mackenzie Householder (right) uses her skate to stop the puck as Luverne forward Kamryn VanBatavia (14) watches the play during a Big South Conference hockey game Tuesday night at Martin County Arena in Fairmont. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Luverne forward Kamryn Van Batavia scored six goals against Fairmont Area in Big South Conference girls hockey on Tuesday night at Martin County Arena in Fairmont, helping the visiting Cardinals sweep the two-game regular-season series after winning their previous contest on Nov. 23.

Despite Fairmont Area taking an 8-2 loss, hometown Cardinals head coach Eric Householder was impressed with the competitive level shown by his players throughout the game.

“The intensity that they played every shift was high and that’s what we needed to play against a team like that,” Fairmont Area head coach Eric Householder said. “They skated at a level that I haven’t seen them skate at yet this year.”

The performance brought Van Batavia to a state-leading total of 55 goals on the season, becoming the first player on the season to clear the 50-goal mark. Along with the six-goal game, Van Batavia added two assists to finish with eight more points tacked onto her state-leading total of 83.

“She’s a very talented player,” Householder said in reference to Van Batavia. “You take her goals away and the scoreboard’s a little closer, but you can’t pull a player out of a game like that because she can do so much with the puck.”

Luverne forward Reghan Bork added a pair of goals in the game, getting the lone goal of the first period to put the visiting team ahead early. Defender Mallory Von Tersch would be the only other Luverne player to score a point, claiming an assist on the team’s third goal.

Fairmont Area tied the game early in the second period courtesy of a goal from forward Jozie Hoefker off an assist from Abigail Sundeen, although the home team would be unable to get on the scoreboard until late in the third, as defender Mackenzie Householder scored an unassisted tally.

Luverne goaltender Cheyenne Schutz picked up the win by recording 30 saves on 32 chances, while Fairmont Area goalie Hadley Artz finished with 38 saves.

Fairmont Area (4-7-2) travels to Worthington on Thursday night for another conference contest, while Luverne (15-1) plays host to Breckenridge-Wahpeton on Friday night in a non-league game.

Luverne 1-3-5–8

Fairmont 0-1-1–2

Scoring Plays

1st Period

LUV–Reghan Bork (Kamryn Van Batavia), 5:24.

2nd Period

FA–Jozie Hoefker (Abigail Sundeen), 1:00.

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (unassisted), 10:37.

LUV–Reghan Bork (Kamryn Van Batavia, Mallory Von Tersch), 11:00.

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (Reghan Bork), 14:53.

3rd Period

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (Ella Apel), 0:18.

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (unassisted), 8:05.

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (Ella Apel, Reghan Bork), 11:12.

LUV–Kamryn Van Batavia (Reghan Bork), 15:36.

FA–Mackenzie Householder (unassisted), 16:55.

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Boys Hockey

Luverne 8, Fairmont Area 3 — Forward Brock Behrend scored four goals to guide Luverne to an 8-3 victory over Fairmont Area during Big South Conference action Tuesday night in Luverne.

Behrend’s four goals were complemented by an assist on the contest’s opening goal, while Luverne forward Patrick Kroski picked up three assists as well.

After Luverne jumped out to a 3-0 lead, Fairmont Area fought back with three consecutive goals in the second period. Alexander Moeller converted a Nate Rakness assist to put Fairmont Area on the scoreboard at the 4:33 juncture.

Lucas Flohrs later converted a double-assist from Tyson Pankow and Hank Artz to trim Fairmont Area’s deficit to 3-2 before Hudson Artz delivered the equalizer on an unassisted goal at the 12:24 mark.

Luverne, however, pulled ahead in the third on the strength of Behrend’s hat trick.

Luverne added 35 shots on net, while Fairmont Area had 30 chances on the night.

Fairmont Area (2-8) plays host to Worthington on Thursday night, while Luverne (7-5) goes up against Breckenridge-Wahpeton on Friday.

Fairmont 0-3-0–3

Luverne 1-2-5–8

Scoring Plays

1st Period

LUV–Blaik Bork (Brock Behrend), 15:44.

2nd Period

LUV–Henry Hartquist (unassisted), 1:18.

LUV–Brock Behrend (Blaik Bork, Ethan Langseth), 4:24.

FA–Alexander Moeller (Nate Rakness), 4:33.

FA–Lucas Flohrs (Tyson Pankow, Hank Artz), 7:26.

FA–Hudson Artz (unassisted), 12:24.

3rd Period

LUV–Patrick Kroski, 3:52

LUV–Brock Behrend (Patrick Kroski, Brady Bork), 10:03.

LUV–Brock Behrend (Patrick Kroski, Ethan Langseth), 12:44.

LUV–Elliott Domagala (Patrick Kroski), 15:27.

LUV–Brock Behrend (unassisted), 16:09.