Badgers Rebound For Win Versus Buckeyes, 3-1
November 02, 2003 | Women's Hockey
The sixth-ranked Wisconsin women's hockey team defeated visiting Ohio State 3-1 Sunday afternoon at the Kohl Center. The win earned the Badgers a series split against the Buckeyes and their first 'W' in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings this season.
Playing without team captain Carla MacLeod, UW's Meghan Hunter and Jackie Friesen both tallied a goal and an assist for three-point weekends to lead the Badgers. MacLeod is traveling to Sweden to join Canada's senior women's national team at the 2003 Four Nations Cup and will also miss Wisconsin's series at Bemidji State next weekend.
Frosh goaltender Christine Dufour earned her second career win in net for Wisconsin with 23 saves, while OSU goaltender Melissa Glaser collected 29 saves for the Buckeyes.
'Today was a big win from the standpoint that we needed to win the game,' Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said. 'After losing yesterday and having Carla gone, it was a situation where we had to find some way (to win).
'I thought Christine played very well in net and our penalty kill unit has struggled the last couple of games and needed to step forward the last six or seven minutes of the third period. It did that and a combination of getting some goals early and getting some energy early I think helped out in the long run.'
Wisconsin leapt out to an early 1-0 lead at 4:10 in the first period. After playing the puck off the boards behind Glaser in the net, frosh defender Bobbi-Jo Slusar fired it in from 10 feet off the blue line. Hunter tipped it past Glaser for the goal and the lead.
Hunter earned her assist at 11:59 in the second period on a cross to Friesen in the Buckeye crease. Friesen found the puck and beat Glaser glove-side for the Badgers' second goal of the game and 2-0 lead.
As they have against all of their competition so far this season, the Badgers outshot the Buckeyes 21-12 through the first two periods and 32-24 total. Ohio State made a late rally however with 12 shots to UW's 11 in the third period. A power-play shot-on-goal by OSU's Meaghan Mulvaney at 3:11 beat Dufour for a Buckeye goal with assists from Erin O'Grady and Tessa Bonhomme.
Wisconsin provided Ohio State with a second power-play opportunity, but the Badgers' penalty killing unit helped Dufour fend off the Buckeyes despite seven OSU power-play shots on goal in the third period.
Wisconsin's final goal came late at 18:35 after frosh Sara Bauer sent the puck to Friesen for a small ditch pass to junior Amy Vermeulen and the ensuing score to mark the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native's first goal of the 2003 '04 season.
The Buckeyes pulled Glaser with 41 seconds left, but could not create a final scoring opportunity against the Badger defense.
'The whole series was good,' Johnson said. 'As we find out, year in and year out, this league is going to get tougher and is going to be more competitive. Ohio State plays Wisconsin very tough and aggressive. We outshot them in both games so those are good signs. We just need to capitalize on our opportunities more than we have up to this point. Overall, after losing yesterday, I 'm happy with the way we came out and won the game and now we can just build on it and move forward.'
Capping the Badgers' home series this weekend, close to 200 fans joined Wisconsin's team and staff for a skating session with the Badgers on the Kohl Center ice. Young and old alike joined the UW women's hockey team for a 'Skate With The Badgers', in addition to photos and autographed posters.
Now 5-3-0 overall and 1-3-0 in the WCHA, Wisconsin travels to Bemidji State next weekend, Friday, Nov. 7 at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 8 at 2:05 p.m. The Badgers are 16-1-1 all time against the Beavers. BSU is 1-6-1 overall and 0-4-0 in the league with two losses this weekend to ninth-ranked Mercyhurst.
