For the first time in almost a month, the No. 6 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team took to the ice against an outside opponent, but unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Friday night's result didn't go their way.

No. 8 Quinnipiac University held on to a 2-1 win over UMD at the M&T Bank Arena in Hamden, Conn. in the two side's first head-to-head meeting since 2019. The game marks the ninth-straight game against a top-eight opponent for the Bulldogs, but also snapped a 10-game unbeaten streak had against ECAC teams (the Bobcats conference).

The Bulldogs opened up the game's scoring 11:51 into the first period on senior Clara Van Wieren's ninth goal of the year. From behind the extended goal line, Olivia Wallin found Van Wieren skating into the low slot for the one-timer and the 1-0 lead. The helper Wallin's ninth of the year – a team-high, while defenseman Paula Bergstrom had the second assist on the play, her second of the year.

Van Wieren gets the Bulldogs on the board in 2024! pic.twitter.com/uTmHNN53QS

— UMD Women's Hockey (@UMDWHockey) January 5, 2024

Quinnipiac equalized with just a minute remaining in the first period, and despite outshooting the Bobcats 11-6 in the frame, the score was locked a 1-1 after one.

After a scoreless second period that UMD put 13 shots on net while holding QU to just three, the Bobcats scored their eventual game-winner at 6:24 of the third period. The Bulldogs peppered QU with a 13-6 shots on goal advantage and 37-15 overall – just the third time this season UMD has outshot an opponent and suffered a setback.

The Bulldogs held the Bobcats scoreless on their only power play attempt, running UMD's successful penalty kill streak to 24. Hailey MacLeod had 13 saves for UMD, whole Logan Angers made 36 for QU, who improved to 19-3-0 on the season and undefeated at home.

"Obviously, I want to be better from start to finish," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell. "I feel overall we could have just been better, and some of that's expected when you're on the road to open up this semester. But we also, you know, have to be ready for that. We limited them in shots and had the majority of the play going our way. Ultimately mistakes are what the games are about and capitalizing on them or not, and they did, and that's why they won the game."

UMD (11-7-1) will get another crack at the Bobcats in an early matinee matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT.