Box Score Mankato, Minn. ---  The Mavericks overcame a three-goal deficit but were doomed by a late goal as they lost, 4-3, to Bemidji State Friday night in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association battle at All Seasons Arena.

The Beavers jumped out early as Kaitlyn Tougas beat MSU netminder Danielle Butters five-hole off a pass from Sadie Lundquist just 1:29 into the first period. Bemidji State pushed the lead to two when Natasha Kostenko tallied a marker at 12:16 of the frame.

Ivana Bilic made it 3-0 for BSU at 7:13 of the second stanza beating Butters just under the crossbar on the glove-hand side. However, Minnesota State would respond at the 13:55 mark when senior Lauren Zrust notched her first goal of the year to cut the lead to two.

Junior Melissa Klippenstein made it a one-goal contest, on the power-play, at 5:30 of the third period when besting Beaver netminder Jessica Havel through the pads on a blast from the point. Senior Lauren Smith knotted the match at three each five minutes later with her team-high eighth goal of the year.  But Bemidji State would provide answer a minute and a half later when Lundquist scored a power-play goal in front of the net for her fourth point of the game.

The Beavers finished two-of-eight on the power-play and outshot Minnesota State 34-29, while the Mavericks converted one-of-four opportunities on the advantage. Butters finished with 30 saves for MSU, and Havel made 26 stops for Bemidji State.

Minnesota State (4-9-2, 2-7-1-1 in WCHA) tries for the split tomorrow afternoon with the puck set to drop at 3:07 p.m. inside All Seasons Arena.