(Box Score)

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Jenny Brine tallied her 20^th goal of the season in the first period, but No. 1 Harvard could not hold on, as the Crimson were upset in the NCAA semifinals by No. 5 Wisconsin, 4-1, Thursday evening at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (DECC) in Duluth, Minn.

At 4:04 of the first, Harvard (32-2-0) earned a power play when Alycia Matthews was called for interference.  On the ensuing advantage, the Crimson moved the puck into the Wisconsin zone, setting up its attack.  Caitlin Cahow received the puck at the right circle and flipped it to fellow defenseman Kati Vaughn at the point.  Vaughn blasted a shot that was deflected in front of the goal.  The puck rolled away from Wisconsin defenders and towards the left circle.  Jenny Brine picked up the rebound and found the back of the net for her 20^th goal of the season, giving Harvard a 1-0 lead at 4:42.

The Crimson almost netted its second goal of the period at 7:14 when Sarah Vaillancourt, one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award, found a speedy Sarah Wilson crashing towards the net.  Wilson's one-timer, however, went wide to the right of the Wisconsin goal.

Wisconsin (29-8-3) earned its only power play of the first when Anna McDonald was called for cross checking at 15:57.  The Crimson defense shut down the Badger offense, allowing only two shots during the extra-attacker advantage.  Harvard actually had the best scoring chance during its penalty kill when Vaillancourt earned a breakaway opportunity at 17:42.  Wisconsin goalie Jessie Vetter closed the door, making a save with her leg on Vaillancourt's shot.

With three seconds left in the opening stanza, Anna McDonald and Liza Ryabkina created a 2-on-1 chance for Harvard.  McDonald and Ryabkina traded passes before Ryabkina moved the puck to McDonald a second time.  McDonald got the puck on net, but Vetter made her sixth save of the first to keep the Badgers within one goal.  After one period of play, Harvard trailed in shots, 11-7, but retained its 1-0 advantage heading into the intermission.

The Badgers evened the game 18 seconds into the second period when Erika Lawler skated from behind the net and scored on a backhand shot just to the right of the Harvard goal.

Two minutes later, Wisconsin grabbed a 2-1 lead on a delayed penalty on Harvard.  Tia Hanson, standing in the left circle, fired a quick pass to Jasmine Giles.  Giles received the puck and blasted a one-timer from the edge of the right circle.  The puck hit the top right corner of the net, past a diving Christina Kessler.  Meghan Duggan collected a secondary assist on the play.

The Badgers scored their third straight goal, making it a 3-1 game on another delayed call on the Crimson at 6:56.  The referee raised his arm for a boarding call, but Harvard could not touch up the puck, enabling Wisconsin to bring a sixth attacker onto the ice.  The Badgers kept the puck deep in the Harvard zone, allowing Jinelle Zaugg to net the third Wisconsin goal in less than seven minutes. 

Wilson almost cut the lead in half with six minutes remaining in the second when she found the puck amidst a scrum in front of the Wisconsin net, but her shot hit Vetter's leg and deflected to the corner. 

Harvard had another good chance on a power play with 2:26 remaining.  McDonald, standing behind the Wisconsin goal, made a quick pass in front to Griffin, who just missed on the scoring opportunity.  Griffin's shot hit Vetter's left arm and the goalie covered up for a whistle.

The Crimson led in shots, 13-11, in the second, but Wisconsin scored all three goals in the period to hold the 3-1 lead entering the final 20 minutes of play.

Zaugg collected her second goal of the game at 3:15 of the third as Wisconsin took a three-goal lead, 4-1. 

Harvard managed 14 shots in the final period of play, but could not find the back of the net, as the Badgers held on for the victory at the Frozen Four.

For the game, Kessler made 24 saves in goal for Harvard, while Vetter made 33 stops for Wisconsin.