Box Score MANKATO, Minn. – Evan Weninger made 40 saves in his collegiate debut, helping the No. 10/11 Omaha hockey team beat No. 6/9 Minnesota State, 2-0, to complete the series sweep.

Jake Randolph scored both UNO goals as the Mavericks improved to 2-0-0 after the first weekend of the regular season while MSU fell to 0-2-0.  UNO won 3-2 on Friday night.

For the second night in a row, Randolph opened the scoring.  He was set free on a breakaway by a pass from Justin Parizek.  Randolph beat MSU goalie Cole Huggins through the five hole at 12:02.  Grant Gallo picked up the other assist.

In the third, UNO got some breathing room when Randolph made a steal and converted his second breakaway of the game to make it 2-0 at 3:55.

Randolph, a sophomore, finished the weekend with three goals after scoring five in 39 games of his freshman season.

Weninger was outstanding, becoming the first UNO goaltender to earn a shutout in his collegiate debut.  Among the highlights, he stopped a 2-on-0 breakaway by MSU in the second period.  

Weninger's save total was one short of the school record for most saves made in a shutout.  Dan Ellis turned aside 41 shots in a 4-0 win over Ohio State on Jan. 24, 2003.  The Mavericks were outshot by Minnesota State, 40-18.

Omaha is on the road again next weekend for its first meeting with Vermont on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17.

NOTES:  
UNO handed Minnesota State back-to-back home losses for the first time since Jan. 11-12, 2013, the first year of head coach Mike Hastings' tenure.

UNO has had two other freshmen netminders allow no goals in their collegiate debuts, although both were in relief appearances.  Ellis made seven saves in 13:10 of work in a 4-0 win over Niagara on Oct. 13, 2000.  Ryan Massa made 14 saves in 24:06 in a 3-0 loss against Alaska Anchorage on Oct. 14, 2011.

The last time the Mavericks started a season 2-0-0 was 2010-11 when they won their own tournament, the Mutual of Omaha Stampede, by beating Clarkson, 8-0, and RIT, 5-3.

The sweep helped UNO retain the Spirit of the Maverick Trophy, given to the winner of the season series between the NCAA's two teams that carry the Maverick nickname.  Omaha has had the trophy since the 2009-10 season.