Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's hockey team took a tough 2-1 loss to St. Cloud State Saturday at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
 
The opening period went scoreless in the tight contest, but the Mavericks struck first at the 7:43 mark in the second period. Sophomore winger Claire Butorac scored her team leading seventh goal of the season in a scrum in front of the net. Senior captain McKenzie Sederberg took a big slap shot for the blue line, then followed with another shot before Butorac put away the rebound past junior netminder Emma Polusny. Minnesota State held that 1-0 lead head into the second intermission.

St. Cloud State took advantage of the few opportunities had in the third period to propel them to the 2-1 win. Just after the Mavericks finished a power play opportunity, the Huskies went the other way and converted on a 2-on-1 opportunity with freshman forward Olivia Cvar netting the goal against freshman netminder Calla Frank at the 1:08 mark. SCSU scored the game winning goal at the 13:26 mark when sophomore forward Jenniia Nylund scored just inside the right post.
 
Freshman Calla Frank (4-5-2) took the loss after making 14 saves in the contest.

The Mavericks outshot the Huskies again by a 41-16 margin. Minnesota State went zero-for-eight on the power play, while St. Cloud State did not score on the two opportunities it had the man advantage.
 
Now standing with an 8-13-4 (3-11-2-2 WCHA) record, the Mavericks will head to Bemidji, Minn., to play the Beavers on Jan. 24-25.
 
Head coach John Harrington commented following the game.