COLUMBUS, Ohio - After falling 5-4 to Ohio State (13-11-4, 10-10-2 WCHA) in the last seconds of game one on Friday night, Wisconsin (15-10-3, 12-9-1 WCHA) answered with a 3-2 win Saturday afternoon at the OSU Ice Rink to split the series with the Buckeyes. After Saturday's victory the Badgers now have sole-possession of the third place in the WCHA behind Minnesota and UMD.

Freshman Brianna Decker (Dousman, Wis.) led Wisconsin with her first career hat-trick.

“Decker should be rewarded for her hard efforts today,” interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser said. “Not only did she have the three goals, she also had a breakaway opportunity off the post, she was getting the opportunities.”

The 10th-ranked Badgers were the first to light up the lamp when freshman Stefanie McKeough (Carlsbad Spring, Ontario) took a shot that hit off OSU’s Chelsea Knapp’s shoulder and ricocheted off the crossbar. Fellow freshman Decker capitalized on the put back to take the 1-0 lead at the 16:54 mark. Carolyne Prevost recorded the secondary assist.

However, the lead did not last long. OSU’s Natalie Spooner quickly tied the score with 2:54 left in the first frame when she backhanded the puck into the goal from the left faceoff circle.

Despite outshooting the Buckeyes 32-14 in the first 40 minutes of play, the score still remained even at the end of the second frame.

The Badgers never lost their momentum and finally found the back of net for the second time of the game with 12:11 left in the third period. With the man advantage, Decker put the puck past Knapp off a pass from junior Geena Prough (Farmington, Mich.).

Decker completed her first career hat trick at the 8:46 mark when she located the puck in the scramble and pushed it in to give the Badgers the 3-1 lead.

The Buckeyes decreased the deficit to just 3-2 with just over one-minute left in the contest but were unable to score again.

Wisconsin was relentless in its shots-on-goal production, as they outshot OSU, 45-29, in the victory.

Decker was the third Badger to tally a hat trick this season. The freshman now has 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists) on the season. Sophomore Brooke Ammerman (River Vale, NJ) finished with four goals in Wisconsin’s 6-2 win over Wayne State on Nov. 13 and Prevost recorded her first career hat trick in Wisconsin’s 5-3 win over St. Cloud State on Jan. 22.

“It feels great to be able to help the team. I was able to get the shots off that I had to get off from the slot. I think the power play really succeeded today, that and my line-mates is what helped me get my goals today.”

The Buckeyes finished 0-for-3 on the power play, and Wisconsin capitalized on 1-of-3 opportunities with the man-advantage.

Wisconsin freshman Becca Ruegsegger (Lakewood, Colo.) stopped 27 of OSU’s shot attempts and Knapp finished with 42 saves in net for the Buckeyes.

The Badgers will lace up their skates on Feb. 6 for the first-ever Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic against Bemidji State in an outdoor showdown. This is a game to watch as the Badgers are just one position ahead of the Bulldogs in league standing. The puck drops at 2 p.m.

-UW Athletic Communications-