Wisconsin beats Colgate in Frozen Four, looks to defend women's ice hockey title against Ohio State

Updated Mar. 22, 2024 10:26 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — Kirsten Simms and Vivian Jungels scored the opening two goals and defending champion Wisconsin advanced to the women's ice hockey championship game for the second straight season after a 3-1 victory over Colgate on Friday night in the Frozen Four.

The win by Wisconsin (35-5-0) sets up a rematch of the 2023 title game on Sunday with top seed Ohio State. The Badgers are seeking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Clarkson in 2018 — and notch the program's eighth championship.

Colgate (32-7-1), which had won its last six games by a combined score of 27-4, was the only team in the Frozen Four that had not won a national championship. The only previous trip to the Frozen Four for the Raiders came in 2018 against Clarkson.

Simms, the WCHA player of the year, buried her 33rd goal of the season 11 minutes into the game to extend her points streak to seven-straight games. Jungels made it 2-0 midway through the third on a shot from the face-off dot that went under the glove of Kayle Osborne.

Kristýna Kaltounková pulled Colgate within 2-1 with 2:10 to play, but Laila Edwards sealed it with an empty-netter.

Wisconsin rolled into the NCAA Tournament after beating Ohio State in the WCHA championship game.

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