GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota used two first period goals to gain early momentum and take down the Bemidji State University women’s hockey team 3-1 Friday afternoon at Ralph Engelstad Arena in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. Bemidji State falls to 17-16-3 with Friday’s loss. North Dakota improves to 21-10-3. UND is now 4-1-0 against the Beavers this season.

BSU struggled on the power play on Friday afternoon going 0-for-5. UND only had one opportunity on the man advantage and went 0-for-1. UND outshot BSU 28-15. Kristi King (So., F, Stillwater, Minn.) and Montana Vichorek (Sr., D, Moose Lake, Minn.) each led BSU with three shots apiece. Michelle Karvinen, Alyssa Wiebe and Monique Lamoureux-Kolls each had four shots apiece.

North Dakota took the early 1-0 lead as Kelsey Ketcher found the net 10:55 into the first period as Monique Lamoureux-Kolls had a 2-on-1 advantage but Marlee Wheelhouse (Sr., D, Crookston, Minn.) fell down on the play, allowing Lamoureux-Kolls to skate in. Ketcher’s goal is her fifth of the year. Lamoureux-Kolls tallied her 44^th assist on the year. Her sister, Jocelyne Lamoureux, notched her 47^th assist on the netter.

UND took a 2-0 advantage at the 18:21 mark in the first when Candace Molle’s blast from near the blue line found its way to the net and past BSU netminder Zuzana Tomcikova (Sr., G, Bratislava, Slovakia). The goal was Molle’s fifth of the year. Josefine Jakobsen tallied her 21^st assist of the season on the goal.

Bemidji State looked to catch a break at the end of the first period as J. Lamoureux was called for a five minute major, game misconduct checking from behind penalty to end the frame. Lamoureux was tossed from the game. BSU started the second period on a five-minute power-play but was unable to find the net on the man advantage.

The Beavers would allow no goals in the second but were unable to find the net themselves and ended the period the same place they started it, down 2-0 to North Dakota.

Unable to find anything through 16 minutes of action in the third period, BSU pulled Tomcikova from net for the extra attacker. Almost immediately UND found the empty net as Ketcher scored her second goal of the game.

Down 3-0 with little time left the Beavers looked to be completely out of the game until Erika Wheelhouse (Jr., D, Crookston, Minn.) found the net on a shot from the top of the left circle. The goal was E. Wheelhouse’s eighth goal of the season. Sadie Lundquist (Jr., F, Cloquet, Minn.) picked up her 23^rd assist of the season on the goal.

Bemidji State’s Tomcikova made 25 saves on the game and gave up two goals. Ney notched 14 saves and gave up one goal.

Marlee Wheelhouse (Sr., D, Crookston, Minn.) tied the school record for games played with 145 and consecutive games played. The mark knots her with Annie Bauerfeld, who finished up her career last season.

BSU and UND will return to action for game two of the WCHA playoff series tomorrow at 2:37 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad Arena.