Box Score GRAND FORKS, N.D. --- Minnesota State outscored No. 4 North Dakota two-to-one in each of the first two periods and received goals from four different Mavericks to capture a 4-2 upset victory over UND in Western Collegiate Hockey Association competition Saturday afternoon at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
 
The win elevates MSU to 11-19-1 overall and 6-18-1 in conference play securing at least a seventh-place finish. North Dakota slips to 17-8-4 with a 14-7-4 mark in league action.
 
Minnesota State claimed a 2-1 lead after the first 20 minutes despite North Dakota scoring the game's first goal. UND sophomore Shannon Kaiser slipped a loose puck just across the goal line at 8:36 after MSU senior Danielle Butters (London, Ont.) lost track of it. Less than two minutes later, sophomore Katie Johnson (Anoka, Minn.) tied the contest with her second goal of the season at 10:19 after passes from seniors Lauren Barnes (Burnsville, Minn.) and Tracy McCann (Lakewood, Ohio). At 16:29, junior Shelby Moteyunas (Cicero, N.Y.) scored on a blast from above the left circle that deflected off a North Dakota defender and past sophomore goaltender Shelby Amsley-Benzie. Junior Natalie Stoltz (St. Paul, Minn.) and sophomore Haley Northcote (Cumberland, Ont.) each earned assists on the marker with Northcote picking up her first point of the season.
 
The Mavericks outscored UND two-to-one once more in the second period to increase their lead to 4-2. Senior Nicole Germaine (Mississauga, Ont.) tucked a pretty backhanded chance into the top right corner for her 10th goal of the season at 1:05 of the frame as Barnes and junior Kathleen Rogan (Vancouver, B.C.) collected assists on the power-play marker. North Dakota scored a power-play goal of its own at 5:50 courtesy of sophomore Meghan Dufault who beat Butters between the pads, but Minnesota State restored its two-goal advantage at 10:58 when Barnes twirled a wrap-around goal between the legs of Amsley-Benzie. Johnson and fellow sophomore Giulianna Pallotta (Beeton, Ont.) both earned helpers on the goal.
 
In the third period, North Dakota applied heavy pressure outshooting the Mavericks 23-6 in the frame, but Butters and Minnesota State turned away every opportunity to secure the 4-2 victory.
 
Butters finished with a game-high 45 saves, three shy of her career-high, to earn First State of the game honors, while Amsley-Benzie stopped 21 shots for UND. Barnes' three points in the win matched a season-high as did Johnson's pair of points. Minnesota State converted one-of-three chances on the power-play, while North Dakota finished one-of-four with the advantage.
 
The two teams will square off once again tomorrow afternoon at 2:07 p.m. back inside Ralph Engelstad Arena.