ST. PAUL — Intimidated? No.
But No. 13 Minnesota State women’s hockey found itself outmatched on the biggest stage it’s been on since the first few months of Barrack Obama’s first term as president.
The Mavericks fell 7-2 to No. 1 Wisconsin in the semifinal round of the 2026 WCHA Final Faceoff.
“Really proud of the effort our team put forth today,” MSU head coach and Olympic gold medalist Shari Dickerman said. “Wisconsin’s a really talented team. We were going to have to try to get the puck behind their (defensemen) and wear them down on the forecheck. At times we did a good job of that, and at other times we weren’t able to reload pucks in.”
Fresh off her lights out series against Minnesota Duluth, MSU junior Hailey Hansen picked up right where she left off. She turned away the first 18 shots she faced as the Mavericks tried to break through.
The 19th shot she faced came off the stick of Caroline Harvey with 1:19 left in the first period. The freshly crowned WCHA Defender and Player of the Year, to go with her Olympic gold medal, gave Wisconsin a 1-0 lead entering intermission.
The Badgers went on to score four goals in the second and add two more in the third. Hansen finished with 44 saves.
MSU saw freshman Sophie Stramel secure MSU’s first goal midway through the second period. She buried a loose puck with Wisconsin goalie Ava McNaughton to make it a 4-1 game 12:33 into the middle stanza.
Sophomore Lauren Goldsworthy also got on the scoresheet. She beat McNaughton glove side with 5:50 left in the game.
The Mavericks’ 2025-26 campaign comes to an end with a final record of 17-19-2. The 17 wins are the most in program history.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” Dickerman said. “I’m excited for where we’re heading in the future. I’m really grateful for the foundation that’s been laid by the upperclassmen.”
MSU will lose seniors Taylor Otremba, Kianna Roeske, Avery Stilwell, Lilie Ramirez, Whitney Tuttle and graduate student Jessica Boland.
“They’re great hockey players, obviously. But they’re even better people,” Stramel said of the graduating players. “They showed us what we need to work into and become as we’re moving up and building into leadership roles. They showed us what we need to do and what leadership we need to show.
“They’re great people to look up to.”