NEW HAMPSHIRE DEFEATED BY MINNESOTA, 10-2

Freshman forward Haley Breedlove scored a goal for the Wildcats

DURHAM, N.H. - The University of New Hampshire women's hockey team fell to the top-ranked University of Minnesota, 10-2, Saturday afternoon at home. The loss bumps the Wildcats to 6-8-1 on the year while the Golden Gophers improve to 15-0-0.

Minnesota opened up the game with a trio of first period goals, the first of which was scored by Amanda Kessel at 2:19. Hannah Brandt netted the next two consecutively as she scored at 4:42 and 12:21.

Haley Breedlove (Plano, Texas) got the Wildcats on the board with her first-career goal just seconds after Brandt's goal after finding a pass from Caroline Broderick (Marblehead, Mass.) in front of the net, sending it past UM goalie Noora Raty. Kayla Mork (Victoria, Minn.) tallied the second assist on the play for her first point of the season. After a period of play, Minnesota held a 3-1 advantage.

Lee Stecklein tallied her first goal of the year to start the second period when she scored on a power play. Brandt and Kessel assisted Stecklein on the play. Rachael Bona then tallied an unassisted goal at 3:19 to set the score at 5-1. Jessica Hitchcock (LaSalle, Ontario) netted her third goal in two games at 13:52 on a power play to bring the score to 5-2. Hitchcock received the puck from Megan Armstrong (Edina, Minn.), extending her point-streak to five games. Alexis Crossley (Cole Harbour) also tallied an assist on the play.

Minnesota upped its lead to 7-2 with goals by Meghan Lorence and Bethany Brausen at 17:19 and 18:10 of the second period. The Golden Gophers capped off their scoring in the third period with goals from Kessel, Kelly Terry and Brandt. Terry's came in shorthanded play. After three periods of play, the Wildcats fell, 10-2.

Jenn Gilligan (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) got the start in net and made a pair of saves. Vilma Vaattovaara (Veikkola, Finland) came on second for the Wildcats and made seven saves between the pipes. Marie-Eve Jean (Gatineau, Quebec) played the remainder of the game and made 18 saves on 23 shots faced. Raty improved her record to 14-0-0 after making seven saves on the nine shots she faced. UM outshot UNH by a tally of 37-9 in the game. New Hampshire was 1-for-3 on the power play while Minnesota was 1-for-6 with the advantage.

The two teams will conclude the series Sunday, Nov. 25 at the Whittemore Center. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m.