Crowd welcomes new women’s sport

Wisconsin fans watched the women’s hockey team play its first-ever game Oct. 8 in the Kohl Center.

A crowd of 3,892, the second-largest for any intercollegiate women’s hockey game, featured dignitaries including Gov. Tommy Thompson, Chancellor David Ward and gold-medal Olympian Cammi Granato.

After taking an early lead on a power play goal by Kenda Antony 2:25 minutes into the game, the new team lost 8-1 to Minnesota-Duluth. Goaltender Jackie MacMillan, a redshirt freshman from Buffalo, Minn., made 50 saves.

The team posted its first win in UW history with a 2-1 victory on the road against Ohio State Oct. 15.

Head coach Julie Sasner directs her team from the bench during the women’s hockey program’s inaugural game against Minnesota-Duluth Oct. 8 in the Kohl Center. Photo: Jeff Miller

The women’s hockey team huddles for good luck on the ice with Bucky Badger just before the opening face-off of their first game. Photo: Jeff Miller

From directly behind the team bench and the arena glass, fans (l-r) Linda Olson, Patti Rufledt and Jo Hoel cheer on their niece, #13 Sis Paulsen, a freshman defenseman from Eau Claire. Photo: Jeff Miller

The Badgers celebrate the team’s first-ever goal scored on a power play 2:25 minutes into the program’s first game by #26 Kenda Antony, a freshman forward from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. Leslie Toner, a freshman from Wausau, was credited with the only assist on the goal. Photo: Jeff Miller