The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team returned most of its players to the ice Sunday, but the No. 2 University of Wisconsin had no interest in throwing a homecoming.

The Badgers kept the reunited Bulldogs at bay with a 3-1 win at LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisc. to pick up the Western Collegiate Hockey Association sweep.  The sweep by the league's first-place UW squad drops UMD (9-12-1, 6-9-1) into sixth place in the WCHA with 19 points, two points behind St. Cloud State University in fifth with 21.

After Wisconsin put up four goals in the first period Friday, the Bulldogs held the Badgers' highly potent offense off the scoreboard until late in the first period.  

It took a Badger power play to double that lead 2:43 into the second period, and a goal by Wisconsin's Sarah Nurse put UW up 3-0 2:13 later.  UMD never relented, however, and after outshooting the Badgers 9-8 in the final period of play, junior defenseman Sidney Morin finally broke through to the Badger twine for her second goal of the seaon at the 15:32 mark.  Morin's goal was assisted by senior forward Michela Cava and junior forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk, both of whom extended their current scoring streaks with the helpers.  

Senior goaltender Karissa Grapp got the start in net for the Bulldogs, and turned away 29 saves on the 32 shots she faced.  Grapp made 67 saves in five periods of action against Wisconsin on the weekend.  UMD went 0-of-3 on the power play Sunday for a total of 1-of-7 in the series.

The Bulldogs return home to AMSOIL Arena for the first time in 2016 when they host the No. 7 University of North Dakota next Friday and Saturday.  Both gams are slated to start at 3:07 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Junior forward Ashleigh Brykaliuk extended her current scoring streak to a career-tying best eight games with an assist, pushing her eight-game total to five goals and nine assists for 14 points...Senior forward Michela Cava has now compiled 10 points (4g, 6a) in her last six games...Head coach Maura Crowell is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Under-18 USA squad currently in the World Championships...UMD has played 14 of its 22 games against teams ranked in the top-eight in the nation.