UMD unable to overcome injuries, illness against Buckeyes

DULUTH — Second-ranked Ohio State completed the series sweep of fourth-ranked Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at Amsoil Arena, winning 2-1 after beating the Bulldogs 3-1 on Friday with an empty net goal.

The Bulldogs were even more shorthanded Saturday than they were on Friday as a flu bug continued to sweep through the team. Bulldogs coach Laura Schuler estimated around eight players were dealing with the illness on Saturday.

“Our whole staff, we’re so, so proud of our players,” Schuler said. “Obviously not the outcome we wanted, but our players bought in 100% to what we wanted to do, the adjustments we wanted to make from yesterday to today. We had a lot of kids out sick, who have been sick, and now injured in today’s game as well.

“For everyone to step up and give everything they had, and again that buy in was tremendous.”

Sophomore wing Joey Dunne and fifth-year senior wing Makenna Webster had the Buckeyes’ goals with Webster scoring the game-winner late in the second.

Fifth-year senior wing Olivia Wallin had the Bulldogs’ lone goal Saturday, scoring on a power play in the first period. She set up UMD’s lone goal on Friday.

Sophomore goaltender Eve Gascon made 44 saves Saturday to finish with 102 on the weekend. She had 58 saves Friday in the loss.

“Eve again was outstanding,” Schuler said. “She’s absolutely world class. We’re so lucky to have her a part of this team, this community and this university. She is just so solid. Every time she is in the net to win.”

The Bulldogs started Saturday’s game with 15 skaters and finished with 13. Sophomore defensemen Ida Karlsson was back in the lineup after being scratched on Friday due to illness, but junior defensemen Brenna Fuhrman and Devyn Millwater were both out ill on Saturday, giving the Bulldogs only five blueliners for the opening 10:58.

UMD quickly dropped to just four defensemen when senior alternate captain Hanna Baskin was knocked out of the game after she was checked from behind into the end wall.

The Bulldogs' remaining defensemen — Karlsson, junior Tova Henderson, fifth-year senior Nina Jobst-Smith and freshman Kamdyn Davis — were left to rotate every other shift, something Wallin said was “crazy” for her to even think about.

“It’s not as bad as you would think, especially when your feet keep moving, too, and you keep going out there,” Henderson said. “I feel like it’s worse than people would think. I was pretty confident with the four of us this game and happy with how we played.”

OSU freshman Jordan Baxter received a major penalty for the hit, but not a game misconduct for injuring Baskin.

The same was not true for Bulldogs fifth-year senior wing Olivia Mobley in the second period for what appeared to be a very similar check from behind, only her hit came along the side boards. It wasn’t head-on, like Baxter’s, and the target — OSU freshman wing Jordyn Petrie — was able to remain in the game.

The WCHA officiating crew, however, tacked on a game misconduct to Mobley’s major to drop UMD to 13 skaters.

“Any time you lose a player like (Mobley) is tough, but luckily we have nine, 10 other girls that can step up right in that role and get going with us,” Wallin said. “We’re pretty lucky there.”

In addition to Baskin and Mobley, third-string goaltender Anna Byczek was on the bench at the start of the game, but didn’t finish on the bench (and didn’t change gear to dress as a skater).

Neither team scored on their major power plays, though the Bulldogs killed their own after three minutes with a tripping penalty by freshman center Caitlin Kraemer. Kraemer took two minor penalties Saturday to add to her team highs of 16 penalties and 35 penalty minutes. She came into the day third in the WCHA in penalties and penalty minutes, well behind the league leader, Minnesota’s Abbey Murphy.

The Bulldogs fell to fourth in the WCHA this weekend. Ohio State and Minnesota, who came into the weekend a point back of UMD, jumped the Bulldogs in the standings with two wins each.

Since sweeping Ohio State in Columbus to open the season in September, the Bulldogs are 0-6 versus the league’s top three teams — OSU, Minnesota and Wisconsin. UMD hosts the Badgers in two weeks and visits the Gophers in late February.

After playing six straight games at home to open 2025, the Bulldogs are on the road for three of their final five series, starting with games Thursday and Friday at St. Thomas.

Ohio State 1-1-0—2
Minnesota Duluth 1-0-0—1
First period
1. OSU, Joy Dunne, 2:31
2. UMD, Olivia Wallin (Clara Van Wieren, Tova Henderson), 18:57 (pp)
Second period
3. OSU, Makenna Webster (Kiara Zanon), 16:44
Third period
No scoring
Saves — Amanda Thiele, OSU, 13; Eve Gascon, UMD, 44.
Power play — OSU 0-3; UMD 1-4. Penalties — OSU 4-11; UMD 5-21.