BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University women's hockey sophomore Hannah Hogenson stopped a career-high 52 shots but it wasn't enough as the Beavers fell 5-2 to No. 3 University of Minnesota in their series opener Saturday afternoon at the Sanford Center. The Beavers (2-4-1, 1-4-0 WCHA) were outshot 57-23 in the game while fifth-year seniors Paige Beebe and Lydia Passolt scored the lone goals for the team.

Bemidji State had a slow start to the game and were outshot 19-0 before registering its first shot on goal. Minnesota opened the scoring 6:49 into the first period when Amy Potomak scored her sixth goal of the season. Seven minutes later the Beavers registered their first shot on net which also found the back of the net when a Paige Beebe shot deflected of a defender and into the back of the net with 6:09 to play for Beebe's team-leading third goal of the season.

However, the Gophers continued their dominance and with 2:29 remaining, Potomak netted her second goal of the period to go up 2-1 and just 1:21 Minnesota extended its lead to 3-1 when Audrey Wethington scored her second goal of the season. Minnesota would skate into the first intermission with the two-goal lead and a 25-4 shot advantage.

The Beavers picked their game up in the second period and produced 10 shots on goal but failed to be netminder Skylar Vetter while Hogenson also denied the Gophers on all 15 of their shots during the middle frame to hold the score at 3-1.

Minnesota would break through in the third period again when Abigail Boreen scored her fourth goal of the season 4:04 into the frame while Ella Huber made it 5-1, 12 minutes later with her second goal of the season. The Beavers didn't quit and with 2:55 left Passolt scored her first goal of the season but BSU would fail to score again and fell 5-2.

Myers assisted on each goal for the Beavers to lead the team with two points while Minnesota was led by Potomak who netted two goals while Taylor Heise, Peyton Hemp and Emily Oden each recorded two assists. 

Hogenson finished the game stopping 52-of-57 shots for a new career-high in saves but falls to 1-2-1 on the season while Vetter improved to 2-1-0 by stopping 21-of-23 shots.

Bemidji State didn't earn a power play in the game but killed off two chances by the Gophers. 

The Beavers and Gophers drop the puck for the series finale tomorrow afternoon and will face-off at 2:01 p.m.

Nestled in Northern Minnesota's wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU 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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