ORONO, Maine (Interstat) — Casey Clausen made 35 saves and Quinnipiac opened its women’s NCAA Division I hockey season with a 2-1 victory over Maine on Friday at Alfond Arena. The visiting Bobcats improved to 1-0. The Black Bears fell to 0-1. A crowd of 782 watched the game.

Maine took the lead in the first period. Lily Fetch scored at 13:26, with Gracie Hanson and Mikayla Boarder assisting. The Black Bears held that edge until Quinnipiac tied the game in the second period. Ella Johnson scored at 34:27, with Ella Sennick and Rosalie Breton picking up assists. Quinnipiac then took the lead in the third period. Alex Law scored at 55:08, with Bryn Prier and Sennick assisting. Clausen and the Bobcats protected the one-goal margin the rest of the way.

Clausen, a 5-foot-8 goaltender from Whitesboro, N.Y., who previously played at Northwood School, was Quinnipiac’s top star. She stopped 35 of the 36 shots she faced and earned the win. Law, a 5-foot-8 center from Whitby, Canada, who previously played at Brooklin, finished with one goal, four shots and two penalty minutes. Johnson, a 5-foot-10 center from Palmer, Alaska, who previously played at NAHA, added one goal, two shots and one hit. Sennick, a 5-foot-10 defender from Lafayette Hill, Pa., who previously played at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, had two assists and three shots. Lamarche, a 5-foot-6 right wing from Greater Sudbury, Canada, who previously played at Everest Academy, generated seven shots and served two penalty minutes. Prier, a 5-foot-4 right wing from Juno Beach, Fla., who previously played at William T. Dwyer High School, contributed one assist and three shots. Breton, a 5-foot-5 defender from Saint-Bernard, Canada, who previously played at Cégep Limoilou, had one assist, two shots and two penalty minutes.

Maine’s Fetch, a 5-foot-4 left wing from Woodbury, Minn., who previously played at East Ridge, scored one goal on one shot. Hanson, a 5-foot-5 center from Lakeville, Minn., had one assist, one shot and two penalty minutes. Boarder, a 5-foot-8 right wing from Richland, Wash., who previously played at Shawnigan Lake School, recorded one assist. The Black Bears pressed for an equalizer, but Clausen denied them repeatedly. Maine could not answer after Quinnipiac took the lead, and the Black Bears could not find a tying goal before the final horn.

The game included 10 minor penalties. Quinnipiac was called for six, and Maine was called for four. Quinnipiac’s Ilsa Lindaman was sent off for interference at 2:09 of the first period. Law followed for bodychecking at 4:17. In the second period, Breton went off for interference at 20:14, Lamarche for embellishment at 31:36, and Maine’s Kendall Sundby for slashing at 31:36. Hanson was called for tripping at 33:00, and Lulu Rucinski for tripping at 37:46. In the third period, Aynsley D’Ottavio was called for tripping at 43:02, Maine’s Brenna Curl for tripping at 44:26, and Keara Parker for interference at 57:15. Quinnipiac’s penalty kill held Maine off the board on the power play, while the Bobcats generated enough pressure to protect their lead.

The teams are scheduled to meet again in Orono. Quinnipiac’s upcoming schedule includes games against Providence, Post, Northeastern, Union, RPI, Yale and Brown. Maine’s next games include Saint Lawrence, Minnesota, Bemidji State, RPI, Providence and Boston University. Maine will host Saint Lawrence next before later games against Minnesota and Bemidji State.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Quinnipiac 3, Maine 2. Interstat’s ELO system projected Quinnipiac with a 76.1 percent probability to win.