Women’s hockey swept by No. 2 Buckeyes at home

The Minnesota State women’s hockey team hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes in a WCHA series rematch this weekend at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. The Mavericks were hoping for a different outcome after suffering a series sweep earlier this season in Columbus against the Buckeyes.

MSU came into this weekend’s series 12-13-1 overall and 8-13-1 in WCHA play. OSU, who came in ranked No. 2 in the nation, brought a 19-5-0 overall and 15-5-0 in WCHA record to Mankato.

Ohio State was the first to get on the board Friday night when senior Paetyn Levis buried a loose puck that got caught in the skates of Minnesota State goaltender Calla Frank. Just a few moments later Frank would stand tall and stop OSU sophomore Jenna Buglioni on a breakaway which sent the Mavs into the first intermission down one. 

The Mavericks’ defense kept the Buckeyes off the board for the first half of the second period. However, with about nine minutes left, Ohio State’s Paetyn Levis would go between Frank’s legs for her second goal of the game. 

Nearly six minutes later, OSU buried their third goal after sophomore Jenna Buglioni went top-shelf on the powerplay after a slick pass from Lauren Bernard. 

Buckeye’s Gabby Rosenthal opened the scoring in the third period tapping home a rebound after two shots were blocked by Mavericks. Momentum picked up for Ohio State when Buglioni scored off a tic-tac-toe passing play with Liz Schepers and Paetyn Levis. 

Solid defense kept both teams off the scoreboard for the rest of the game as Ohio State finished with a 5-0 shutout of Minnesota State. 

Saturday afternoon’s contest saw back-and-forth action for the first 15 minutes, with neither team being able to set up good attacking-zone pressure. With 4:53 remaining in the first period, fifth-year forward Lexi Templeman got the Buckeyes on the board when she scored off a rebounded shot by Liz Schepers.

Ohio State’s Jenna Buglioni would give them their second goal of the game when she snuck home a rebound after a net-front scramble. The Buckeyes would end the period up 2-0.  

The second period opened with Buglioni hitting back-to-back pipes for Ohio State. But nearly four minutes later, OSU’s Rosenthal went top shelf for the score after a sweet pass from Schepers. 

A minute later, the Mavericks would see their first goal of the weekend. Senior forward Jessica Kondas fired a shot from the point that beat the Buckeye goaltender cleanly on the powerplay. Both teams were kept off the board for the remainder of the second period with Ohio State opening up the scoring in the third.

Senior defenseman Madison Bizal lit the lamp for OSU just over two minutes into the third period. 

The game would see its first bit of controversy when Liz Schepers buried home a loose puck for Ohio State after Calla Frank was caught way out of position. The goal was reviewed for goaltender interference, but none was found, confirming OSU’s fifth goal of the game. 

Ohio State would add two more goals to defeat Minnesota State 7-1. 

The Mavericks are on the road next weekend as they take on the Wisconsin Badgers at Labahn Arena.

Header Photo: Senior defenseman Jessica Kondas (2) scored the lone Mavericks’ goal this past weekend against the  No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes. Kondas has three goals and 12 assists this year in 27 games played.