MADISON, Wis. — Minnesota State (2-3-0, 0-3-0) lost to Wisconsin (5-2-0, 1-2-0) 5-1 Friday at LaBahn Arena. Minnesota State was outshot 51-19, including 20-7 in the third period, when Wisconsin scored four times. Minnesota State scored its lone goal on a second-period power play and finished 1-for-3 with the advantage, while Wisconsin went 2-for-3 on the power play. The Mavericks finished with a season-high 18 blocks, and won 42.1% of their faceoffs.
Lauren Zawoyski scored a power-play goal, finished with three shots and blocked two shots. Zawoyski's goal was her second of the season.
Jaya Schippel was outstanding making 46 saves in goal in her first career start.
Mika Cichosz recorded an assist and added two blocked shots. Cichosz has recorded at least two blocked shots in five consecutive games.
Sophie Stramel had a 53 faceoff percentage to continue her strong start in the faceoff circle.
Schippel was a surprise starter in net for the Mavericks but she continuously made big saves, robbing the Badgers of numerous goals and giving MSU a chance to stay in the game. Her 46 saves are the most by a Maverick this season as she impressed throughout the game. She was quick sliding across the net to save backdoor chances and controlled many rebounds to stop scoring chances.
Minnesota State kept pace with the two time reigning national champions over the first 20 minutes but came out of the first period trailing 1-0 after Wisconsin broke through with 6:20 remaining on Charlotte Pieckenhagen's even-strength goal. Pieckenhagen scored off a rebound on a Schippel save. Earlier, Minnesota State generated looks including a breakaway by
Ava Guillemette that went just over the net. They also got chances by
Audrey Garton, Stramel, Zawoyski and
Lila Deis, but the shots on goal were stopped by Ava McNaughton. Minnesota State earned a power play at 8:29 after Nela Lopusanova was called for tripping, but Wisconsin killed it and scored shortly after the penalty expired. Schippel kept Minnesota State within one with 12 saves, while Garton blocked two Wisconsin shots in the final minutes before the first intermission.
Wisconsin generated the early pressure in the second period, including a Rosalie Tremblay shot off the pipe and several saves by Schippel before Minnesota State settled in with chances from
Payton Finnie and
Mia Miller. Minnesota State converted the second period's only goal on the power play, after Lopusanova took a roughing penalty, Zawoyski took a pass from Cichosz and fired a shot that deflected off multiple skaters and snuck through the five hole of McNaughton to tie the game 1-1. Earlier, Minnesota State absorbed a heavy Wisconsin push, with Schippel making repeated saves and Stramel,
Kendall Hassler and Cichosz each blocking shots in the opening stretch. After the tying goal, Minnesota State generated chances from Stramel,
Zoe Lopez, Cichosz,
Katie Olfert and
Neely Hawn while continuing to manage Wisconsin's volume. The Mavericks killed off Olfert's tripping penalty in the final minutes, helped by
Makayla Moran's block and more saves from Schippel, as the teams went to the intermission tied 1-1.
Minnesota State gave up four goals in the third period, including consecutive Wisconsin power-play finishes after penalties to Lopez and Moran. Ava Murphy scored 1:15 into the period to put Wisconsin ahead 2-1. Minnesota State took two penalties 17 seconds apart to give the Badgers a five on three, and Wisconsin converted both power plays, Laney Potter and Cassie Hall followed on the advantage to make it 4-1 with 13:41 remaining. Schippel kept facing pressure as Minnesota State blocked attempts through Hassler, Hawn, Cichosz, Finnie, Guillemette and
Lucie Tenenbaum, but Lopusanova added an even-strength goal with 5:00 left. Minnesota State generated a late power play and put attempts on goal through Moran, Lopez and Tenenbaum, but the Mavericks were held scoreless in the period and Wisconsin closed out a 5-1 final.
Up next, Minnesota State wraps up their series against Wisconsin tomorrow at 2 p.m. at LaBahn Arena.
