The Austin girls hockey team skated with Rochester Mayo for two and a half periods, but the Packers couldn’t stay within striking distance in a 7-3 loss in Rochester Thursday.

The Packers (5-4 overall, 3-3 Big Nine) had a potential game-tying shot trickle behind Mayo’s goalie but it slid along the goal line and the Spartans (7-2 overall, 5-0 Big Nine) took control as Meg Transgrud scored to make it 5-3 Mayo with 7:43 left in the game.

“It could’ve been different for us had that shot gone in,” Austin head coach Denny Bray said. “The girls really played good hockey tonight and I’m proud of them.”

Abby Gallaher scored her second goal of the night to make it 4-3 with 16:18 left in the third.

Mayo out-shot Austin 41-38 on the night.

SCORING SUMMARY

Austin 0 2 1 — 3

Mayo 2 2 3 — 7

First period

(M) Ashley Weber (Emily Nelson) 11:10

(M) Nelson (Makinzee Kazeck) 16:23

Second period

(A) Gallaher (Justina Talamantes) :59

(M) Mackenzie McCormack (Gabrielle Laures) 4:50

(A) Kennedy Thompson (powerplay) 8:30

(M) Nelson (powerplay) (Kazeck) 15:50

Third period

(A) Gallaher (Thompson) :42

(M) Meg Transgrud 9:17

(M) McCormack (Oliva Mewhorter, Kali Aldrich) 14:11

(M) Nelson (Alli Durigan, Olivia Kemp) 16:33