Ohio State then-freshman defenseman Sophie Jaques (18) brings the puck down the ice against Bemidgi State on Feb 8. Ohio State lost 2-3. Credit: Cori Wade | Assistant Photo Editor
Sometimes coming off a loss can add wind to the sails. But try getting an emotional win over the undefeated No. 2 team in the nation one night and coming back the next day with the same intensity.
It’s not easy to do.
After playing its best game of the year with a 4-3 victory over No. 2 Minnesota (9-1-0, 5-1-0 WCHA) Friday night, No. 8 Ohio State women’s hockey (5-3-2, 3-3-2) failed to bring the same energy and fell 4-2 to the Gophers Saturday.
“I just felt like we got comfortable with already winning one. I don’t like to look at the teams like Minnesota and Wisconsin and think we should be happy with a split,” Ohio State head coach Nadine Muzerall said. “We don’t do that with anybody else, so that’s a mentality we need to get over.”
Muzerall said the team needs to work on its consistency, meaning everyone needs to step up — not just the leaders on the team.
“We can’t always keep relying on the same players as they get tired, and we have to have our second- and third-liners step up a little bit more,” Muzerall said. “They all did it yesterday, and that’s why I think we were successful.”
Freshman forward Jennifer Gardiner got the first goal of the game and her first of season, with eight minutes to go in the first period, and it seemed like Ohio State might be picking up where it left off the night before.
Seven minutes into the second period, though, Minnesota junior forward Grace Zumwinkle tied the game, scoring her third goal of the weekend.
Then, with only 40 seconds left in the second period, the Gophers struck again. This time it was sophomore forward Amy Potomak, who stole the puck from the attacking Buckeyes offense and broke away to get the goal.
Minnesota tacked on two more goals in the first. Zumwinkle scored for the second time in the game and then was followed moments later by sophomore forward Taylor Heise to give the Gophers a 4-1 lead.
The Buckeyes didn’t go down without a fight. Junior forward Liz Schepers scored with a little more than two minutes left in the game, but it was a little too late, and Minnesota held on to get the victory and the series split.
This coming weekend, Ohio State goes on the road to face Bemidji State in games Friday and Saturday, and Schepers said the Buckeyes will look to channel the focus they brought in Game 1 against Minnesota.
“It’s just a testament to the kind of team we can be,” Schepers said. “Now it’s time to show that every day.”
