FOND DU LAC, Wis. – First year Ethan Hersant had his first collegiate two-goal game as the St. Olaf College men's hockey team dropped its series opener to non-conference foe Marian University, 5-3, on Saturday evening at Blue Line Family Ice Center.

Hersant gave St. Olaf (3-4-2) leads of 1-0 in the first period and 2-1 in the second period, but Marian (4-3-1) came back with goals to tie the game at both intermissions. In the third, the Sabres scored three times in the span of 7:03 to open up a 5-2 lead and held on despite a late power-play goal by first year Tyler Cooper.

Cooper added his team-leading fifth assist to his third-period goal, while first year Ben Luscko picked up a pair of assists for the first multi-point night of his collegiate career. After not committing a penalty in the opening two periods, the Oles committed three minor penalties in the span of 4:30 in the middle of the third, and Marian capitalized with a pair of power-play goals in the period.

Hersant gave the Oles an early lead with his first goal of the night on the power play at 3:10 of the opening period. The first year's opening goal came after he intercepted a clearing attempt and scored on a wrist shot from near the middle of the right circle to extend his point streak to five games in a row.

The Sabres responded a little over five minutes later when Nick Cherkowski tipped in a shot from the left point by Nathan Walker to tie the game at the 8:32 mark of the opening period. Marian nearly went ahead two minutes later, but Jordaan Smioneau's shot rang off the pipe as the teams went into the first intermission tied at 1-1.

Hersant gave St. Olaf its second one-goal lead of the game at 11:02 of the second period, knocking in a rebound after his initial shot was saved after being set up by classmate Sean Walsh. Hersant's second of the night came four minutes after he drew a checking from behind penalty where the Oles hit the pipe on the ensuing power play.

Facing their second one-goal deficit of the night, the Sabers tied the game at 2-2 at the second intermission when Jack Sampson tipped in a shot from outside the right circle by Blake Kleiner at the 17:27 mark.

Alex Rondeau provided the go-ahead goal for Marian at 7:31 of the third period, firing a shot from between the circles into the top-left corner of the net to put the hosts on top for the first time. Two minutes later, Simoneau tipped in a blast by Rondeau for the first of the Sabres' two power-play goals in the third period, and Parker Colley added an unassisted power-play goal at 14:34 to give Marian a 5-2 lead.

Cooper closed out the scoring with St. Olaf's second power-play goal of the evening, blasting in a one-timer from the left side after being teed up by a cross-ice pass from Luscko. Cooper and Hersant's two-point night gave them a team-leading seven points in seven games this season.

Marian held a slim 33-31 advantage in shots on goal in the game. Senior Cooper Lukenda made 28 saves in the loss for St. Olaf, while Aaron Brunn had 28 saves of his own to pick up the win for Marian.

The Oles and Sabres finish off their non-conference series on Sunday, Nov. 28 at 2:30 p.m. at Blue Line Family Ice Center.