A late scoring push by the 7/8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team secured a 3-1 triumph over Minnesota State University, Mankato at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minn. in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action Friday afternoon.

"It's always a tough place to play, tough to get three points in our league, so thrilled about that, especially on Friday," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "I thought our first period was really good. I think we put them on their heels a little bit for that 20, and then they came alive in the second, and that took us by surprise. The third was more of a duel as you could see, and we got some really good timely goals and executed some good defensive play when we needed to close the doors."

Olivia Wallin's defensive effort helped put the Bulldogs on the board first after the senior forward intercepted a Maverick pass from behind the extended goal line and fed redshirt sophomore Mary Kate O'Brien in the slot. O'Brien rewarded Wallin's effort and scored her first goal of the season with a chip blocker side past MSU goaltender Lauren Barbo to make it a 1-0 game at 7:03 of the first period.

The Mavericks landed the lone goal of the second period, a power play tally by Jamie Nelson that came at 4:34. MSU's goal broke over 61 minutes of scoreless hockey against the Bulldogs, and after two periods of play, UMD and MSU were tied at 1-1. 

Reece Hunt put the Bulldogs up for good with her first game-winner of the season at 9:58 of the third period. Hunt popped the puck through traffic in the crease and buried it for her third goal in four games. UMD iced the game officially late in the frame with a surgical passing effort  that started with Clara Van Wieren to Mannon McMahon behind the net. McMahon found Hanna Baskin at the point, and the junior defenseman found the back of the net for the first time this season at the 17:28 mark to stretch UMD's lead to 3-1.

Sophomore goaltender Hailey MacLeod picked up her second win of the season, and turned in a 29 save performance to secure it for the Bulldogs. Barbo had 26 saves for the Mavericks, who managed to outshoot UMD 30-29 in the game.

UMD (3-2-0, 1-2-0) and MSU (2-3-0, 0-3-0) will wrap up the WCHA series tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES: UMD has now not allowed an even strength goal in its last two games … in fact half of the goals against UMD this season have been with the Bulldogs down a skater.