MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Ridder Arena) – The University of Minnesota got two goals and an assist from Hannah Brandt, while Milicia McMillen tallied three assists to hold off a late charge by Bemidji State University and earn a 5-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory at Ridder Arena Saturday.  

The Gophers opened Saturday’s tilt much like they did in the series opener as they scored four goals in the first thirty minutes of play, two of which were on the power play.

Down 4-0, the Beavers needed a spark to get back into the game and that spark came at the 9:59 mark of the second period as both teams were called for penalties. Four-on-four hockey seemed to loosen up things for the Beavers offensively, as they got on the board for the first time in the series with a goal by Alex Citrowske (F, Jr., Savage, Minn.) to cut the deficit to 4-1. Seniors Danielle Williams (D, Waconia, Minn.) and Tess Dusik (F, Oak Bluff, Manitoba) chipped in assists on the goal.  

Bemidji State then scored two goals in 49 seconds. Stephanie Anderson (F, R-So., North St. Paul, Minn.) and Dusikeach snuck the puck past Minnesota’s Amanda Levielle to get the score to 4-3 with 7:05 remaining in the second stanza. Williams and Madison Hutchinson (D, Fr., Maintou, Manitoba) both chipped in assists on the pair of goals.

Minnesota answered with Brandt’s second goal of the game to extend the Gophers' lead back to two goals with 1:06 remaining in the second period. 5-3 would end up being the final score as the Gophers get the sweep over the Beavers.

Brittni Mowat (G, Fr., Glenboro, Manitoba) was the goaltender of decision for BSU and falls 9-15-3 on the season. She stopped 27 shots in 60 minutes of action. Levielle finished the night with 18 saves and three goals allowed to improve to 28-1-1 in 2013-14.

Bemidji State will return to action next weekend in its final home series of the season as it hosts The Ohio State University.

For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

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