MADISON, Wis. – Bemidji State University Women's Hockey freshman Kaitlin Groess made 42 saves but No. 1 University of Wisconsin earned a 3-0 victory Friday night at LaBahn Arena to claim game one of their Western Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs First Round matchup in Madison.
 
Groess collected 40 or more saves for the third time in her career including stopping the Badger's first 15 shots before they finally broke through with 38.2 left in the first period.
 
Wisconsin's Kelly Gorbatenko opened the scoring for the Badgers with the late first-period goal. The Badgers then extended their lead to three with goals from Claire Enright and Lacey Eden just 2:33 apart with less than five minutes remaining in the second period.
 
Groess shut the door in the third period denying the top-ranked Badgers on all 10 shots she faced but the Beavers' couldn't solve Ava McNaughton in the Badgers' crease who earned the shutout.
 
The Beavers now hope to keep their season alive in a do-or-die game two tomorrow afternoon. BSU will look to avoid elimination in the best-of-three series during game two which is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X or Instagram, or like them on Facebook.
 
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 Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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