MADISON, Wis. -- The Bemidji State women's hockey team lost to Wisconsin 6-1 in Saturday afternoon's outdoor game at Camp Randall Stadium.
The loss dropped Bemidji State back in the race for home ice advantage in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
"We were disappointed that we didn't have as much jump as Wisconsin did in a critical game for deciding a home-playoff berth," Bemidji State head coach Steve Sertich said. "It doesn't matter if we lost by five or by one, we didn't get any points today. We have to figure out a way to rebound tomorrow and come out of Madison with some points."
The Beavers fell to 8-14-7 (7-9-7-3 WCHA) with the loss and into a fifth-place tie in the WCHA standings with Ohio State with five games remaining in the regular season. BSU and Wisconsin wrap up the weekend series at 2:07 p.m. Saturday in Madison.
The first game of the Culver's Camp Randall Hockey Classic drew a listed crowd of 8,263 fans to the stadium, which is the home of the University of Wisconsin football team. The Wisconsin men defeated Michigan 3-2 in the second game of the doubleheader.
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The Badgers scored two goals in each period to down the Beavers, with Bemidji State's lone goal coming from Jamie Hatheway at the end of the third period. It was Hatheway's first goal of the season.
Wisconsin came out firing and outshot the Beavers 13-2 in the first period. The Badger goals came from Carolyne Prevost and Brianna Decker.
The Badgers went up 3-0 on the power play halfway through the second period on Jasmine Giles' goal and Decker scored her second of the game five minutes later to make it 4-0 Wisconsin.
BSU played the best hockey of the day in the third period putting more shots on net in the third than the first two periods combined.
Just over a minute after Kelly Nash's goal made it 5-0 Wisconsin, Hatheway connected for the Beavers by beating Badger goalie Becca Ruegsegger.
"We dumped the puck into the corner, (Emily) Erickson won the one-on-one battle and threw the puck into high slot to me, Hatheway said. "Being outside and in the outdoor game couldn't have been a better place to get my first goal."
Ruegsegger only needed to make 13 saves in the win for Wisconsin.
BSU goalie Alana McElhinney was busy throughout the day and finished with 37 saves on 42 shots.
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It was the most saves McElhinney made in a game since BSU's loss to then No. 1 Mercyhurst last October when she made 38 saves.
