Wisconsin And Minnesota Advance To NCAA Women's Frozen Four
March 20, 2006
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Madison, Wis. - Regular season and tournament champion, Wisconsin, and two-time defending NCAA Champion, Minnesota, each posted wins in the NCAA quarterfinals to advance to the 2006 NCAA Women's Frozen Four. Minnesota will host the NCAA Women's Frozen Four, March 24 and 26 at Mariucci Arena. St. Lawrence and New Hampshire round out the field.
Wisconsin needed double overtime to earn its first-ever trip to the Frozen Four as the Badgers defeated Mercyhurst, 2-1. Mercyhurst scored a shorthanded goal at 9:06 of the first period but Wisconsin's Bobbi Jo Slusar scored a power play goal at 13:51 of the first period to tie the game. The game was tied at 1-1 through the remainder of regulation and the first 20-minute overtime period. At 10:10 of the second overtime, Tia Hanson scored on a pass from Kristen Witting to give the Badgers the victory. Goaltender Jessie Vetter made 37 saves in earning the victory for Wisconsin. The Badgers will face St. Lawrence in the opening game of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four at 4 p.m on Friday.
Minnesota shutout Princeton, 4-0, to earn a return trip to the NCAA Women's Frozen Four and the chance to defend its back-to-back title. After a scoreless first period, Minnesota's Melanie Gagnon scored what would eventually prove to be the game winning goal at 18:27 of the second period. The Gophers went on to score three more goals in the third period to secure the win. Whitney Graf scored a shorthanded goal just 10 seconds into the third while Ashley Albrecht added a power play tally at 8:31. Becky Wacker closed out the Gophers' scoring at 13:02. Minnesota will meet New Hampshire in Friday's second semifinal at 7 p.m.
The WCHA is home to all of the national champions since the inception of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four. Minnesota Duluth captured the first three NCAA Women's Frozen Four titles in 2001, 2002 and 2003. Minnesota captured the NCAA championship in 2004 and 2005. Minnesota also won the AWCHA title in 2000. Mariucci Arena was the site of the 2001 NCAA Women's Frozen Four in which Minnesota Duluth won their first of three straight titles.
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