NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, ONCE AGAIN!

*photo courtesy of www.gling.net

The Wisconsin Badgers defeated third ranked University of Rhode Island 3 - 1 in the final game to reclaim the ACHA National Title.

The championship marks the first time any ACHA team has won two national tournaments. It also marks the Badgers second title in three years.

After losing 2 - 1 in last year's championship game, the Badger skaters would not settle for another second place finish. The fifth seeded Badgers stormed through the preliminary rounds outscoring their opponents 15 - 3 with wins over fourth seeded Lindenwood University (St. Louis) and ninth seeded Northern Michigan. A close 1 - 0 win over eighth seeded Colorado University advanced the UW into the final game for their third straight season. With the final win over third seeded Rhode Island, the team finished the season at 17-7-1 and has compiled an impressive 94-24-19 record over the past five seasons.

Cyndi Wisted opened the scoring against Rhode Island with 3:54 left in the first period on a slap shot from the point off a Katie faceoff draw. Wisted would strike again just 20 seconds later on a deflection off an Erin Ficken shot from the point to put the Badgers up 2 - 0. In the second period, the Badgers would take five penalties and play more than half the period short handed. A strong penalty kill and Laura Dickman in the nets would keep Rhode Island off the scoreboard in the second. With 2:28 left in the game, Rhode Island would finally find the net on a loose puck scramble to close the gap to one, but the Badger tender would shut the doors from here on out. Solid team defense would deny any last efforts from Rhode Island and with less than 1 second remaining, Katie Ball fed Cyndi Wisted for an open net goal giving Wisted her 2nd hat trick of the tournament.

Learn more at the ACHA National Tournament Web site.

ACHA All Tournament Awards:

• Cyndi Wisted was named the 2004 ACHA Tournament's Most Valuable Player. Wisted scored 8 goals and had 6 assists, including 3 game winning goals and 2 hat tricks (one of which was in the final game). More
• Katie Ball and Erin Ficken were named the the 2004 ACHA 2nd Team - All Tournament.

#21 Cyndi Wisted's two hat tricks at natl's helped earn her 1st Team All American & 2004 ACHA Tournament MVP.

#77 Katie Ball's team leading 44 pts earned her All American honorable mention and 2nd Team All Tournament.

#14 Erin Ficken helped lead her team to 1st place... earning her 2nd Team All Tournament.