The No. 5 Wisconsin women's hockey team improved to 16-6-2 on the season with a sweep over Ohio State this past weekend in Columbus.
Returning from a concussion, sophomore forward Meghan Duggan led the Badgers in the first game, scoring two goals - including the game-winner - as Wisconsin won 3-2.
Duggan scored on a redirect of a shot by junior defenseman Rachel Bible in the first period to open the scoring for the game.
Senior forward Jinelle Zaugg added to the lead in the second period, putting the Badgers up 2-0 as she scored her ninth goal of the season.
Following a goal from senior forward Erin Keys of Ohio State, Duggan responded with her seventh goal of the season to put Wisconsin up 3-1.
Keys scored in the final minute of the period to make it a 3-2 game, but it was not enough as Wisconsin held on for the victory.
Wisconsin junior goalie Jessie Vetter made 25 saves in the winning effort.
In the second game of the series, Wisconsin raced out to a 3-0 first period lead and never looked back, eventually beating the Buckeyes 4-1.
Zaugg scored first for Wisconsin - her 10th of the season - by deflecting a shot from junior defenseman Alycia Matthews and beating Ohio State junior goalie Liana Bonanno for the 1-0 lead. Freshman forward Hilary Knight equaled Zaugg's mark with a goal of her own midway through the first period to put Wisconsin up 2-0.
Two minutes later, junior forward Angie Keseley made it a 3-0 game, scoring a power play goal on a rebound for her seventh goal of the season.
Ten minutes and fifty-five seconds into the second period, Duggan scored her eighth goal of the season to end the scoring for Wisconsin.
Keys scored halfway through the third period for her third goal of the series. She was the only player to score for Ohio State all weekend.
Vetter made 20 saves and cruised to her 15th win of the season, a victory made easier by the fact that the Badgers kept the puck away from her for much of the game, firing 46 shots on Bonanno in the winning effort. The Cottage Grove, Wis., native was recently named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in her career.
Wisconsin now sits in third place in the WCHA standings, one point behind Minnesota.
-uwbadgers.com contributed to this report
Fill the Bowl
On Saturday, the Wisconsin women's hockey team will attempt to set the NCAA single game attendance mark as it hosts Fill the Bowl"" day at the Kohl Center against St. Cloud State.
As of last week, 2,200 tickets had been sold for the event. The current NCAA record stands at 5,167, set at the 2003 NCAA championship game in Duluth. Wisconsin came close last season, as 5,125 fans watched Wisconsin defeat Harvard in the NCAA quarterfinals.
For each fan that attends Saturday's 1 p.m. game, Becker Law Office, Packerland Securities and Badger Mortgage will donate $1 to Second Harvest Food Bank. Also, fans who bring a non-perishable food item to the game will receive a coupon for free wings at Quaker Steak & Lube.
""If you're out and about and friends are looking for something to do, invite them to Saturday afternoon's matinee at 1:00 p.m. against St. Cloud. It's going for a good cause,"" head coach Mark Johnson said in his Monday press conference.
