MADISON, Wisc. - The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team received goals from both Annie Bauerfeld (So., RW, Woodbury, Minn.) and Erin Babineau (Fr., LW, St. Paul, Minn.), but three first-period tallies were too much to overcome as the No. 2-ranked University of Wisconsin Badgers defeated the Beavers 5-2 Saturday afternoon at Kohl Center.

BSU freshman goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova (Bratislava, Slovakia) did a phenomenal job in 60 minutes of work between the pipes for the road green and white, as she saw 54 shots and broke her career high for single-game saves with 49.

The Beavers end the regular season with a 6-23-5 record overall and a 3-22-3-2 mark in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, and UW finished 27-2-5 overall and 21-2-5-3 in the WCHA.

Wisconsin came out firing on all cylinders, getting two goals in the first 6:04 from Jasmine Giles and Hilary Knight. Brooke Ammerman assisted on Giles’ goal and Erika Lawler and Kelly Nash helped on Knight’s goal.

Meghan Duggan added a power-play tally 16:26 into the first, and the Badgers were off to the races.

Despite the early deficit and being outshot, the Beavers took over in the second period.

Babineau scored at the 6:18 mark with assists to Erin Cody (So., RW, Roseville, Minn.) and Franny Dorr (Jr., Roseville, Minn.).

Knight scored against just 24 seconds later, but BSU won the second period 2-1 after Bauerfeld found the back of the net at the 17:32 mark off an assist to Ashley Leopold (Jr., D, Afton, Minn.).

Lawler added a short-handed goal 8:49 into the third with help from Knight and Malee Windmeier, and the Beavers were unable to get back on the scoreboard.

BSU was outshot 54-15, and went 0-for-2 on the power-play. Wisconsin was 1-for-3 with a man advantage.

Tomcikova fell to 5-20-4 this season, and Jessie Vetter saved 14 shots and allowed two goals in 59:47 to move to 26-2-5 on the year.

Babineau’s marker snapped a nine-game shutout streak to the Badgers dating back to Nov. 19, 2006. It was also Babineau’s first goal since Jan. 2, and the first of her career against a WCHA opponent.

Leopold recorded her 15th career assist, moving her into sole possession of sixth place in BSU history by a defenseman.

The Beavers end the regular season with 11 points in conference play. This comes on the heels of a 2007-08 season that saw them record just four. All 11 points were garnered in the second half of the season.

Bemidji State will learn its opponent for the WCHA Quarterfinals later this evening. The No. 8 Beavers will either travel to Ridder Arena to face No. 1 Minnesota (if Minnesota defeats or loses in a shootout to St. Cloud State tonight, the Gophers will be the No. 1 seed), or they will return to the Kohl Center to face No. 2 Wisconsin (if St. Cloud State defeats Minnesota tonight, Wisconsin will win the regular season title).

--bsu--