Adrian College women's hockey falls to No. 1 UW-River Falls in Frozen Four
RIVER FALLS, Wis. — Three and a half months ago, the Adrian College women's hockey team entered W.H. Hunt Arena scared.
The Bulldogs certainty weren't scared on Friday as they battled unbeaten, top-ranked UW-River Falls in the NCAA Division III Frozen Four, but ultimately fell, 3-2.
"Hats off to River Falls," coach Shawn Skelly said. "Unbelievable program this year. The atmosphere tonight was absolutely incredible. This is a tough moment for our program. I'm proud of our girls and how much effort they pour in for me each and every day and this day was no different."
Adrian (28-3) entered Friday's matchup having won 21 straight games with the last loss coming against the Falcons, 7-5. The Bulldogs returned a more confident team, and scored first at the 15:39 mark with Tia Lascelle scoring her fourth goal of the tournament off an assist from Nicole Pietrucha.
The lead didn't last with River Falls scoring eight seconds later and the score remaining 1-1 at the first intermission.
Une Bjelland gave the Bulldogs again at the 18:11 mark in the second and this one stuck around for a bit. Adrian went into the locker room with the lead despite being outshot, 32-15.
"It was a back and forth game," Skelly said. "They controlled it at times, obviously shots dictated that."
Bjelland's goal gave her 186 career points, the most in program history. Her 82 goals is second all-time and 104 assists is also a program record.
"I can't tell you how proud I am to be her coach the last five years," Skelly said. "She's one of the most incredible people I've been apart of in our program."
The Stavanger, Norway, native came to Adrian from the Ontario Hockey Academy and has seen some ups and downs for the program.
From having to turnaround after going on a road trip to Elmira for the NCAA tournament only to have COVID cancel the playoffs and then going undefeated the next season but not having an NCAA tournament due to COVID again. Then missing the playoffs altogether in 2022 then getting back last season and now taking the No. 1 team in the nation to the wire on its home ice.
She's had quite the career.
"Adrian has been a tremendous program and has been everything for me these past five years," Bjelland said. "I'm far from home and I don't get to see my family as much as I'd want to and these girls take me into their family. If I need anything, I can go to any of those girls our any of their parents and they're going to help me out.
"Hockey wise, I wouldn't be able to put up any of those numbers without those girls and their help. I by no means did anything by myself. I'm super proud of the girls."
The Falcons tied it up at the 5:43 mark and then took the lead at the 18:10 mark, six seconds after the Bulldogs had killed off a power play. Michaela O'Brien, who transferred for her fifth year from Endicott, made 42 saves as she kept Adrian in the game.
"They capitalized on their opportunities to come back," Skelly said. "At the end we fell just a touch short."
Adrian did tie the program record for wins and, while much of the team were either graduate students or seniors who potentially won't be back next season, the Bulldogs are deep and will look to make another run next season.
"(Bjelland, Cadorette, O'Brien and Lindsey Sorrell) are going to be four incredible human beings that I won't have the privilege to coach anymore" Skelly said. "For me is heartbreaking. Our senior class I think all are coming back for their fifth year, but I couldn't be more proud of our whole team. The love is impossible to stop."
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian College women's hockey falls in NCAA Division III semifinal
