The Wisconsin women's hockey team finished its dominant 2006-'07 campaign with another national championship, beating the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs 4-1 Sunday for its second straight NCAA title in Lake Placid, New York.
The Badgers broke a school record and set an NCAA mark with just one loss throughout the season, finishing the year at 36-1-4.
Senior forward Sara Bauer was named the Frozen Four MVP, with six points in two games.
""I have great appreciation for this experience and [the opportunity] to play in such a big tournament,"" Bauer said.
Bauer assisted on Wisconsin's first goal Sunday, when junior forward Jinelle Zaugg took the puck from Bauer's skates and gave the Badgers a 1-0 advantage.
In the second period, the Badgers upped their lead to 2-0, when sophomore forward Erika Lawler netted the eventual championship-winning goal, with Bauer and freshman forward Meghan Duggan tallying assists on the goal.
Bauer put Wisconsin up 3-0 midway through the second, taking a pass from senior defenseman Meaghan Mikkelson and beating Martin top shelf for her 24th goal of the season.
Duluth freshman forward Emmanuelle Blais cut the deficit to 3-1, tipping home a shot from the point which snapped UW sophomore goalie Jessie Vetter's NCAA Tournament shutout streak at 422 minutes and 36 seconds, dating back to the quarterfinals last season against Mercyhurst.
""[The defense has] helped me a lot through the season. I have had minimal shots and I see most of the shots that come my way,"" Vetter said.
The Badgers quickly silenced the newfound Bulldog momentum, as freshman forward Jasmine Giles returned Wisconsin's lead to three with a goal ten seconds later. Lawler sprung on a breakaway following the face off, putting a shot on Martin which Giles nailed home for the 4-1 lead.
""It was amazing the way our team responded so quickly,"" Wisconsin head coach Mark Johnson said.
From there, Vetter's goaltending and Wisconsin's defense were enough for the program to become the first Wisconsin athletic team to repeat as NCAA champions since the women's cross country team accomplished the feat in the 1984-'85 season.
""I don't think we as seniors could ask for a better way to leave our college careers behind. It is unbelievable and we never could have imagined it."" Mikkelson said.
The Badgers tied their program-record 26-game unbeaten streak with the win over the Bulldogs Sunday.
Wisconsin's national title opportunity was set up on Friday with a 4-0 win over the St. Lawrence Saints in the Frozen Four semifinals.
Last year, it was a similar scene for Wisconsin as they beat the Saints 1-0 to advance to the national finals against a team from Minnesota, as they went on to beat the Minnesota Golden Gophers 3-0 in the championship game. Goal scoring was easier this time around for the Badgers.
Duggan notched Wisconsin's first and third goals while Zaugg scored the second and fourth goals for the Badgers.
In goal, Vetter made 22 saves and recorded her third shutout in Frozen Four play, as she also blanked St. Lawrence and Minnesota in the 2006 tournament.
""There are so many good teams and the road to get here is so long and any team can win it. We are fortunate to have done it again this year,"" Mikkelson said.
Johnson acknowledged that losing just one game and winning the national championship for a second straight year could be attributed to the team's leaders.
""It says a lot about the senior class. They have raised the bar and the expectations. Our younger players can look to them as an example on and off the ice,"" he said.
Saturday, senior forward Sara Bauer lost out on her second straight Patty Kazmaier Award, given to the nation's top player to Harvard senior forward Julie Chu. After the game on Sunday, Johnson for the first time acknowledged that Bauer played the last month of the season with two broken ribs.
""We have great character on this team and they have gone through so many challenges and adversities but they haven't let that get in the way,"" Johnson said.
""You might have an injury but once you're out there you don't feel it. You just get out there and push through it,"" Bauer explained.
The university will honor the women's hockey program at 6 p.m. Monday in the Nicholas Johnson Pavilion next to the Kohl Center.
—uwbadgers.com
contributed to this report.
