Box Score MADISON, Wis.  ---  The Minnesota State women's hockey team took a loss to the second-rated team in the country Saturday afternoon in Madison, Wis. 

The Mavericks were downed by the University of Wisconsin 4-0, giving up one netter in the first, two in the second, and one final tally in the third.

In the first period, the second-rated Badgers jumped out to a 1-0 at the 16:57 mark when Sydney McKibbon grabbed a pass from Sarah Nurse.  McKibbon pounced for a semi-breakaway, back-handing a shot that was initially stopped by Mavericks netminder, junior Brianna Quade (Newcastle, Ont.).  Though the puck was stalled at first, it had enough momentum to sneak through and cross the goal line for the period's only tally.  The Badgers outshot Minnesota State by a clip of 15-4 in the first-20 minutes, with neither team notching a goal on their lone man-advantage opportunity.

The Badgers added two more goals to their side of the scoreboard in the second stanza. Baylee Wellhausen scored a goal similar to McKibbon's of the first, beating a Maverick defenseman on the right side and crossing the crease to make a move and beat Quade on her glove-hand side.  Just over two minutes later at 7:58, Erika Sowchuk wristed a shot from the top of the left circle past Quade's blocker to put the Badgers up 3-0 heading into the third period.  By the end of the second stanza, neither team had been able to capitalize on their power-play chances, while Quade had recorded 31 saves through two periods.  Badger goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens held solid through the first two periods, stopping all eight of Minnesota State's shots on goal.

At the 8:01 mark of the third period, McKibbon redirected Courtney Burke's shot from the point putting the game out of reach.  the Badgers fourth goal on the day was their first marker on the power play, totaling their chances at 1-3 in the game.

Quade tallied 49 saves on 53 Badger shots, missing career-high marks in saves by one and shots faced by two.  Minnesota State's special teams went zero-for-two on the power play while allowing one goal their four penalty kills.

Minnesota State will play their final road game of the regular season tomorrow, February 14, at LaBahn Arena. The game is slated for a 2:00 p.m. start against the Badgers.