COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team went into Columbus, Ohio this weekend knowing it needed three points for fourth place--its all-time highest WCHA finish. After last night’s tie, BSU put itself in a must-win situation, but the Buckeyes would hold the Beavers off today in a 6-2 victory.

The Buckeyes were led by a trio of players ending the game with two or more points. Jennifer Desson recorded her first career hat trick scoring three goals, Jeni Creary added to her team leading 31 points with two goals and an assist, and senior Shana Frost collected two assist on the afternoon.

The Beavers came out on a mission to overtake the Buckeyes for fourth place taking a 1-0 just 48 seconds into the game. Amber Fryklund connected with Lill Raynard for the goal. But Ohio State came right back when Jana Harrigan scored just 31 second later to keep the Beavers within reach.

Ohio State’s Jeni Creary gave the Buckeyes their first lead of the game with a goal from Katie Sershen at the 4:37 mark of the period adding another at 15:34 to put OSU up by two goals as the first period came to a close.

The second period was quiet until 12:29 when the Buckeyes stretched their lead to three at 4-1 when Desson tallied her ninth goal of the season. The goal came while defenseman Lindsey Steblen was in the box for the Buckeyes marking the second short-handed goal allowed by the Beavers this season.
After the goal, Anik Coté took over between the pipes replacing Luebke for the Beavers.

As the third period got underway, Desson stretched the Buckeye’s lead to four when she scored just one minute into the period. Taking a pass from Jeni Creary and Katie Shershen, she beat Anik Coté to make it 5-1. But Betsy Hegland would score her fourth goal of the season with help from Lisa Peters and Alicia Kinsman at the 11:02 mark of the frame to bring BSU back within three at 5-2.

But Ohio State and Desson would put the nail in the Beavers coffin when he scored her third goal of the game with less than six minutes to go in the game (14:34). Shana Frost was credited with the assist on the play. The hat trick was the first of the sophomore’s career.

The loss drops the Beavers to 9-16-7 on the season and 5-13-6 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association competition. These same team will meet in the play-in game of the WCHA Final Five March 6th in Grand Forks, N.D. The game will be the third meeting between the teams in a matter of seven days. The game will kick off the Final Five and is set to begin at 4:00 p.m. at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Scoring Goal Assist
1st 00:48 BSU Lill Raynard (10) Amber Fryklund (18)
1st 01:19 OSU Jana Harrigan (11) Jaclyn Haines (7)
1st 04:37 OSU Jeni Creary (15) Katie Shershen (2)
1st 15:34 OSU Jeni Creary (16) Shana Frost (5), Emily Hudak (15)
2nd 12:29 OSU Jennifer Desson (9) -none
3rd 01:00 OSU Jennifer Desson (10) Jeni Creary (14), Katie Shershen (3)
3rd 11:02 BSU Betsy Hegland (4) Lisa Peters (15), Alicia Kinsman (6)
3rd 14:34 OSU Jennifer Desson (11) Shana Frost (5)

Saves
W - OSU April Stojak (60:00) - 23 (8-13-2) L - BSU Jill Luebke (32:29) - 8 (2-3-5)
Anik Coté (27:31) - 12

--bsu--