ASHLAND, Wis. – The Yellowjacket women's hockey team opened the 2023-24 season with a pair of wins on opening weekend, but unfortunately, the wins have been hard to come by for UWS since then.
 
The Yellowjackets dropped a pair of non-conference games two weeks ago, before falling last week in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) opener at UW-Eau Claire.
 
Friday afternoon their WIAC road trip continued, as the 'Jackets traveled east on Highway 2 to take on Northland. The good news is the Yellowjackets stopped their losing streak at three games. The bad news, the winless streak continues.
 
The Yellowjackets scored the first two goals of the game Friday, but couldn't hold onto the lead as Northland rallied to tie the game in the third period. After a scoreless overtime period the game went into the books as a 2-2 tie at the Bay Area Civic Center.
 
Northland scored the only goal of the shootout, gaining the extra point in the WIAC standings.
 
It took a while for each team to find its footing Friday, with the teams playing a scoreless first period. The Yellowjackets (2-3-1, 0-1-1 WIAC) held the edge in shots on goal in the frame, 12-9.
 
In the second period the Yellowjackets came out with some jump and used the energy to take the lead, and they did it while skating a player down.
 
With Aylie Dahl (Beaumont, Alberta/John Maland) in the penalty box for tripping, Emma Booth (Brainerd, Minn./Brainerd) set up Cora Coz (Elk River, Minn./Elk River), and the junior defender found the back of the net, giving the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead at 7:58. For Coz, it was her third goal and fifth point of the year, giving her the team lead in both categories.
 
Less than a minute later the 'Jackets extended the lead. Kaylin Garner (Anchorage, Alaska/Chugiak) got a puck in tight and put it home for her second of the year at 8:55 to make it 2-0. The goal came unassisted.
 
Northland would get on the board before the period was done, as Lauren Klein scored at 14:42 to cut the lead in half. The LumberJills would press in the third period, and eventually draw even when Kiera Richards scored at 11:20 to tie the game, 2-2.
 
It stayed that way through regulation, forcing the first overtime game of the year for the Yellowjackets. In the extra session, the went at Northland hard, outshooting the LumberJills 9-3 in the five-minute period, but goaltender Karlee Lehner stopped everything that came her way to preserve the tie and force the shootout.
 
The Yellowjackets shot first in the shootout, and Coz was stopped. Northland's Audrey Ellerington went next and was also stopped. Next up for the Yellowjackets was Jenna Hoops (Woodbury, Minn./Visitation School), but she, too, was denied. Northland's Taylor Richmond followed with a goal, meaning the Yellowjackets needed to score to keep things going. Garner broke in on Lehner, but once again Lehner made the save, and Northland won the shootout 1-0.
 
Rose Beeman (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's School) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and finished the day with 30 saves. The Yellowjackets outshot Northland 39-30 in the game.
 
The Yellowjackets are back in action Saturday when they travel to UW-Stevens Point. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at K.B. Willett Arena.