For the third time in four years, Wisconsin secured the National Collegiate Women’s Ice Hockey Championship, sealing the 2009 title with a 5-0 victory over Mercyhurst at Boston’s Agganis Arena on March 22.

“It’s exciting to win this. It’s tough to get here,” Mark Johnson, Wisconsin’s head coach, said. “Obviously the coaches within our league and certainly throughout the country understand all the time and effort that these young kids put into it. It’s a long six months’ journey, and it’s just nice to take the trophy back to Madison.”

The real star of the game was Wisconsin goaltender Jessie Vetter, who shut down the Laker offense and made 37 saves during the contest. Vetter, the 2009 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner, said making her last game a shutout to win the national title was “a great way to go out.”

“Being in these types of games, I love them, having the chance to help my team if they need it,” she said. “If you’re playing for a trophy, it’s so much better.”

Vetter was named most outstanding player of the tournament for the second time in her career – she also achieved the honor in 2006.

Both teams came out strong defensively, with no goals in the first period. At 5:28 into the second period, Wisconsin’s Brooke Ammerman slid the puck to the left of Laker goalkeeper Hillary Pattenden for the first score of the game.

The game continued in that fashion: Meghan Duggan scored three minutes later, and Angie Kesely two minutes after that to make the score 3-0 going into the third stanza.

Malee Windmeier scored her second goal of the season 3:26 into the third, followed by Hillary Knight’s nation-leading 45^th goal of the season at the 5:38 mark.

Johnson predicted Mercyhurst and coach Mike Sisti will be back in the title game in the “very near future.” The Lakers return most of their young squad next year, including assistant captain Vicki Bendus. It was the first Frozen Four appearance for Mercyhurst.

Semifinals

Mercyhurst    3          2          0—5

Minnesota      1          0          3—4

First period: MH: Valerie Chouinard (Hayley McMeekin, Jesse Scanzano) 8:38, Bailey Bram (unassisted) 15:47, Meghan Agosta (Jess Jones, Scanzano) 18:46. MN: Gigi Marvin (Rachel Drazan) 5:29.

Penalties: MH: Ashley Cockell (hooking), Cassea Schols (checking). MN: Sarah Erickson (hooking), Anne Schleper (hooking), Melanie Gagnon (checking).

Second period: MH: Meghan Corbett (Chouinard, Cockell) 3:40, Agosta (Scanzano) 19:55.

No penalties.

Third period: MN: Jen Schoullis (Marvin) 11:13, Marvin (unassisted) 15:24, Monique Lamoureux (Drazan, Marvin) 18:43.

Penalties: MH: Genna Prough (hooking) Vicki Bendus (cross- checking), Scanzano (holding), Schols (checking), Bailey Bram (hooking), Agosta (elbowing). MN: Michelle Maunu (hooking), Gagnon (hooking), Schleper (hooking), Lamoureux (hooking).

Saves: Hillary Pattenden (Mercyhurst) 33. Alyssa Grogan (Minnesota) 7. Jenny Lura (Minnesota) 10.

Wisconsin                   0          3          2—5

Minnesota Duluth     0          0          1—1

First period: No scoring.

Penalties: W: Brooke Ammerman (slashing), Meghan Duggan (hooking). MD: Jenni Asserholt (interference), Jocelyne Larocque (checking), Elin Holmlov (interference).

Second period: W: Erika Lawler (Hilary Knight, Alycia Matthews) 11:16, Knight (Duggan) 12:33, Lawler (Knight, Duggan) 16:36.

Penalties: W: Kelly Nash (interference), Rachel Bible (hooking). MD: Jaime Rasmussen (holding), Holmlov (checking from behind), Holmlov (game misconduct), Rasmussen (roughing).

Third period: W: Kyla Sanders (Ammerman) 5:26, Knight (Dugghan) 14:25. MD: Rasmussen (Laura Fridfinnson) 15:08.

Penalties: W: Jasmine Giles (hooking). MD: Sarah Murray (slashing), Tawni Mattila (tripping).

Saves: Jessie Vetter (Wisconsin) 28. Johanna Ellison (Minnesota Duluth) 27.

Championship game

Wisconsin       0          3          2—5

Mercyhurst    0          0          0—0

First period: No scoring

Penalties: W: Brooke Ammerman (hooking). MH: Cassea Schols (checking).

Second period: W: Ammerman (Angie Keseley) 5:28,  Meghan Duggan (Alycia Matthews, Erika Lawler) 8:48, Keseley (Lawler, Hilary Knight) 10:38.

Penalties: W: Olivia Jakiel (interference) Mallory Deluce (roughing). MH: Melissa Lacroix (tripping), Jesse Scanzano (hooking), Kelley Steadman (roughing), Schols (hooking).

Third period: W: Malee Windmeier (Jasmine Giles, Duggan) 3:26, Knight (Lawler, Keseley) 5:38.

Penalties: W: Carolyne Prevost (tripping), Rachel Bible (checking), Bible (misconduct), Windmeier (hooking), Mathews (hooking). MH: Bailey Bram (slashing).

Saves: Jessie Vetter (Wisconsin) 37. Hillary Pattenden (Mercyhurst) 27.