RIVER FALLS, Wis. – After surviving a first period scare against Northland in the first round of the 2022 WIAC Tournament, the Yellowjacket women's hockey team advanced to the conference semifinals, but the task was going to be much tougher, taking on a UW-River Falls team that came into the series ranked No. 4 in the nation.
 
For the second game in a row, the Yellowjackets gave up goals early, but this time around they weren't able to mount a comeback. UW-River Falls scored twice in the first five minutes and found the back of the net in each period on the way to a 6-0 win over the Yellowjackets Saturday at W.H. Hunt Arena in River Falls.
 
With the loss, the Yellowjackets (10-13-1) find themselves in a must-win situation against the Falcons Sunday. To advance, the 'Jackets will have to win the regulation game and also the mini-game.
 
River Falls landed a couple of big shots early on the Yellowjackets, converting on a pair of power play opportunities to take the lead.
 
Alex Hantge scored on the power play just 1:17 into the game, beating Yellowjacket goaltender McKenzie Whalen (East Grand Forks, Minn./East Grand Forks) on a shot from between the circles. Kora Torkelson made it a 2-0 game, scoring on a one-timer from the right of the goal on the power play at 4:37. The lead went to 3-0 when Bailey Olson made a quick move in tight and beat Whalen at the 6:00 mark.
 
Yellowjacket head coach Dan Laughlin called timeout after the third goal, but the Falcons added another later in the period.
 
Hantge scored her second of the game at 15:43, going in on a breakaway and getting her own rebound after the initial shot was stopped by Whalen.
 
WIAC scoring leader Callie Hoff added the final two goals, scoring at 6:47 of the second period and 18:15 of the third period to make the final score 6-0.
 
River Falls outshot the Yellowjackets 34-18. Whalen finished the day with 28 saves. Tessa Jorde (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) led all Yellowjackets with four shots on goal.
 
The teams will meet in the second game of their WIAC semifinal series Sunday. The opening face-off is set for 2 p.m. at W.H. Hunt Arena.