Ohio State Women's Hockey Advances to Fourth Consecutive National Championship Game, Seeking Third Title in Four Years

By Andy Anders on March 21, 2025 at 7:35 pm
Joy Dunne celebrating with teammates
Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Two third-period goals by Joy Dunne propelled Ohio State women’s hockey to a Frozen Four semifinal win over Cornell.

A sophomore searching for her second ring, Dunne scored two goals in five third-period minutes on Friday to send the Buckeyes to their fourth consecutive national title game.

Ohio State defeated Cornell 4-2 in the Frozen Four semifinals after Dunne's two scores broke a 2-2 tie in the final frame. The Buckeyes will play for their first-ever repeat national championship and third national title in four years on Sunday.

Dunne added an assist to her two goals to total three points, tying fellow forward Makenna Webster for a team-high as Webster collected a goal and two assists. Defender Brooke Disher gave the Buckeyes three goal-scorers. Goalie Amanda Thiele also starred with 27 saves on 29 shots.

It took less than two and a half minutes for Ohio State to show why it is the defending national champion. Dunne took a pass from fellow forward Makenna Webster on a rush and fired a shot off the stomach of goalie Annelies Bergmann, but Webster glided in and sniped home the rebound past Bergmann's left skate to put the Buckeyes up 1-0.

Four minutes later, forward Jenna Buglioni corralled a rebound and dished a crisp pass to Disher at the top of the left circle, who smacked home a one-timer to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead that held through the end of the first period.

Ohio State rode that momentum forward for the majority of the second period, dominating the shot battle and killing off several Cornell opportunities. The Big Red drew back-to-back Buckeye penalties, enjoying 3:30 of consecutive power play time with 30 seconds of that being a 5-on-3 only to still not score a goal.

But 21 seconds after that second penalty was killed, Cornell forward Lily Delianedis scored while falling away from Ohio State's goal. Sixty-eight seconds later, forward Kaitlin Jockims tucked a shot into the upper-right corner of the net to equalize for the Big Red. The score held 2-2 at the second intermission.

Ohio State opened the third period with fervor and it paid off on a clinical finish from Dunne as defender Mira Jungaker and Webster collected assists.

Then Dunne added the crown jewel of her night, a diving shot in front of the net that – combined with the smothering pressure of Ohio State's forecheck – stuck a dagger in the Big Red and set the final score at 4-2. The Buckeyes outshot Cornell 39-29 for the contest.

Ohio State, the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, will play No. 1 Wisconsin in the national championship game. It will be the third consecutive national championship game between the Buckeyes and Badgers, with Wisconsin winning in 2023 and Ohio State coming out victorious in 2024. Puck drop is at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPNU.

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