NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (Interstat) — Madison Bowtell made 27 saves, and Lindenwood used a three-goal first period to defeat Merrimack 3-2 in a women’s NCAA Division I hockey game Thursday at Lawler Arena. The visiting Lions improved to 3-0, while the Warriors fell to 0-1. The announced attendance was 323.

Lindenwood needed only 3 minutes, 33 seconds to take the lead. Raquel McCormack scored the opening goal, with Ellie Muscedere and Tilde Simensen earning assists. The Lions doubled the advantage at 4:26 of the first when Tatiana Blichova scored, assisted by Michaela Paulinyova and Elina Zilliox. Lindenwood made it 3-0 at 17:50 of the period when Silje Gundersen found the net, with Simensen and Nicole Pietrucha picking up assists. The three-goal opening frame gave Lindenwood control before Merrimack began its comeback.

The game included seven penalties. Nicole Pietrucha of Lindenwood was called for interference at 8:13 of the first period. Merrimack’s Emma Pfeffer received a hooking minor at 12:19. Lindenwood’s Michaela Paulinyova was penalized for bodychecking at 19:04 of the first. In the second period, Merrimack’s Stina Sandberg was whistled for tripping at 6:11. Lindenwood’s Rhaea Flint received an elbowing penalty at 10:45, and Raquel McCormack was called for slashing at 15:44. In the third, Merrimack’s Maggie Kime was assessed a holding penalty at 15:06.

Merrimack cut into the lead in the second period. Mady Cipolla scored at 18:51 of the period, with Hailey Eikos assisting, making it 3-1. The Warriors continued to press in the third and pulled within a goal when Abigail DeAnzeris scored at 17:42 of the third period. Emma Pfeffer and Madison Vittands assisted on the goal. Merrimack had chances late, but Bowtell and the Lindenwood defense held firm over the final minutes.

Bowtell, a 5-foot-5 goalie from Lake Country, Canada, who previously played at George Elliot Secondary, stopped 27 of 29 shots for the win. She also posted a 15-save shutout at Post earlier this season. Gundersen, a 5-foot-8 right wing from Kristiansand, Norway, who previously played at Wang Toppidrett Stavanger, had one goal on two shots. McCormack, a 5-foot-9 center from West Bend, Wis., who previously played at West Bend East High School, recorded one goal, two shots and two penalty minutes. Paulinyova, a 5-foot-5 right wing from Bratislava, Slovakia, who previously played at Ontario Hockey Academy, added one assist, seven shots and two penalty minutes. Blichova, a 5-foot-3 left wing from Presov, Slovakia, who previously played at Private Secondary Sports School ELBA, scored one goal on three shots. Simensen, a 5-foot-5 left wing from Halden, Norway, who previously played at International School, had two assists and one shot. Pietrucha, a 5-foot-4 right defenseman from Crestwood, Ill., who previously played at Alan B. Shepard High School, contributed one assist, four shots and two penalty minutes.

Abigail DeAnzeris of Merrimack, a 5-foot-4 left defenseman from Needham, Mass., who previously played at Thayer Academy, scored one goal on two shots. Krisztina Weiler of Lindenwood, a 5-foot-5 center from Budapest, Hungary, who previously played at Ontario Schools, registered three shots. Mady Cipolla of Merrimack, a 5-foot-2 center from Bowie, Md., who previously played for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, added one goal on three shots. The Warriors’ late push made the finish tight, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Lindenwood had opened the season with two shutout wins at Post, 7-0 and 5-0, and remained perfect with the road victory. Merrimack, playing its first game of the season, dropped to 0-1. The teams are scheduled to meet again at Lawler Arena. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Lindenwood 3, Merrimack 2. Its ELO system had given Lindenwood a 50.9 percent probability to win before the game.