The No. 2 Wisconsin Badgers (34-5) have secured their spot in the Frozen Four after a dominant 4-0 victory over No. 7 St. Lawrence (28-11) in the NCAA Regional match-up. The win sets the stage for an exciting face-off with No. 3 Colgate in Durham, New Hampshire on Friday.
The game got off to an electrifying start as Senior Casey O’Brien netted the game-winning goal just 16 seconds into the match, marking her 23rd goal of the season and her 70th point overall. Despite the early lead, the score remained 1-0 for the next 44 minutes before junior Sarah Wozniewicz extended the Badgers’ lead.
Sophomore Laila Edwards then took charge with two quick goals, adding to her impressive performance following a four-point display in the WCHA tournament championship game against Ohio State. Additionally, sophomore Kirsten Simms contributed three assists, maintaining her position at the top of the NCAA leaderboard alongside O’Brien. Both players have been named as top-three finalists for the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award, recognizing the nation’s top collegiate player.
Freshman Ava McNaughton delivered a stellar performance in goal, making 25 saves and securing her fifth shutout victory of the year. Her standout moment came in the first period when she made a crucial save against St. Lawrence forward Julia Gosling, maintaining Wisconsin’s narrow lead.
While St. Lawrence remained competitive, Wisconsin ultimately took control in the latter stages of the game, applying relentless pressure and securing their place in the Frozen Four.