University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
4-1-0, 0-1-0
Ohio State
5-2-0, 3-2-0
Team Stats
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
No. 2 Minnesota Falls to No. 4/5 Ohio State in First WCHA Matchup
10/11/2024 8:50:00 PM | Women's Hockey
COLUMBUS, OH - The No. 2 University of Minnesota women's hockey team picked up their first loss of the season on Friday, falling 4-3 to No. 4/5 Ohio State Buckeyes on the road. The Gophers move to a 4-1-0 record on the season.
Ohio State got on the board first with a Joy Dunne goal less than four minutes into the first period. However, Gopher redshirt-senior Abbey Murphy responded just a minute-and-a-half later with her sixth goal of the season, assisted by Ella Huber. The period was a tight battle between the two top-five squads. It remained tied until Jocelyn Dunne gave the Buckeyes their second lead of the day with 32 seconds left. The score remained a 2-1 Ohio State lead going into the first intermission.
Play remained close in the second period, with a 9-7 SOG battle in Minnesota's favor. However, Ohio State's Kiara Zanon eventually tallied the period's only score with 4:37 remaining, extending the Buckeye lead to 3-1 with a power play goal.
Sophomore Emma Kreisz brought the Gophers back within one just 2:16 into the third period, finding the back of the net after a backhanded assist from fifth-year Audrey Wethington. Ohio State responded once again on the power play, their second PPG of the night, as Jenna Buglioni brought the score to 4-2. Minnesota freshman defender Gracie Graham notched her first career goal with ten seconds left to play in the third, as the Gophers skated with an extra attacker in the final two minutes. That would be the final goal of the game, sealing the Maroon and Gold's first loss of the season.
Quotable:
"Obviously, not the result we wanted," said head coach Brad Frost. "We played hard in spurts, played hard the whole game, but unfortunately we gave up a couple power play goals for them. We lost a couple net front battles. Credit Ohio State and how hard they go to the net. We need to do a better job of picking up sticks and clearing out there, but we're excited to get back to it tomorrow."
Additionally Quotes from Coach Frost:
On Gracie Graham
"Happy with her, she's been really consistent for us all year. Any time you score your first goal as a Gopher, it's a big deal."
Notable:
- Abbey Murphy has scored at least one goal in each of Minnesota's first five games of the 2024-25 season.
- Gracie Graham became the second freshman and fourth newcomer to tally a goal for the Gophers so far this season.
- Oct. 11 marked the closest SOG margin for Minnesota all season, finishing at 27-25 in favor of the Gophers.
Up Next:
The No. 2 Gophers will head back to OSU Ice Rink on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. CT to take on No. 4/5 Ohio State in the second game of this weekend's series.