First WCHA roadtrip of the season for the Bemidji State women’s hockey team is underway. The trip to Madison, WI from Bemidji, MN is the longest bus trips of the year. The eight hours on the bus seems like an eternity, especially for me who still finds it difficult to sleep on a bus.
We left Bemidji at 7am Thursday morning from our new “home”…the Bemidji Regional Event Center. Lyle, our bus driver with Bemidji Bus got us safely to our destination in Badger country. Typically our travel menu consists of Panera, Noodles & Company, etc. We’ve eaten at both and stopped for lunch in Eau Claire at Sweetwaters.
The Beavers got off to a great start in game one against the #5 Wisconsin Badgers Friday night at the Kohl Center. Senior forward Annie Bauerfeld scored her first goal of the season. It was a pretty power play goal that she clanked off the right post which deflected past the back of the Badger goalie. The Beavers led 1-0 after one period and things were looking good for BSU…however, never underestimate those pesky Badgers.
We all soon found out just why the Badgers are ranked #5 in the country. In the second period, Wisconsin scored four goals including a short handed goal that was just enough to take away the momentum that Bemidji State had from the first period. The Badgers wouldn’t be done with that. They found the back of the Beaver net three more times in the 3rd period for a final score of 7-1.
As deflating as that loss may seem, I know this Beaver squad is resilient. I’m sure they’ll be raring to go Sunday! They just need to put Friday nights game behind them and move ahead.
On a positive note, BSU does travel well. There were a number of Beaver fans in attendance at the Kohl Center to cheer on the ladies in the green and white. It was nice to visit with Annie’s grandparents Skip and Judy, and get to meet Allie Duellman’s parents, Joe and Amy, for the first time. Bemidji State has such great fans and parents. Even former Beaver hockey goaltender Jessica Ptachick (2006-08) made a stop to Madison to watch our game while on her way to see Orlando & Denae Alamano (Orlo is a former BSU men’s hockey player and Denae was the grad assistant coach for BSU women’s basketball. They now reside in Kenosha, Wisconsin). It’s always great visiting with Beaver hockey alumni.