Duluth, Minn. --- The seventh-seeded Minnesota State Maverick’s season ended at AMSOIL Arena Saturday evening with a 5-0 loss to sixth-rated Minnesota Duluth.

Minnesota Duluth (22-7-3, 18-7-3-0 WCHA) will advance to the WCHA Final-Faceoff next weekend at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.

After the loss, MSU is now 0-3 against UMD in postseason action with the only other loss being a 10-1 loss in the 2000-01 season. Minnesota State is now 2-16 in all-time playoffs games. The two wins came in 2008-09 when they earned their first ever playoff game and playoff series win over St. Cloud State University.

Minnesota Duluth jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 14:08 of the first frame on its first power play chance of the game. Junior center Haley Irwin’s shot was saved by Maverick goaltender Alli Altmann, but sophomore Audrey Cournoyer cleaned up the rebound for the Bulldog goal.

Early in the second UMD added two goals just 26 seconds from each other. The first scored by sophomore center Katie Wilson at the 6:24 mark and the other scored by sophomore defenseman Jessica Wong at the 6:50 mark.

Later in the second, Minnesota Duluth increased its lead to 4-0 with a goal scored by senior blueliner Jocelyn Larocque at the 16:44 mark.

UMD made it 5-0 at 9:18 of the third frame when freshman Noora Jaakkola’s shot from the point was tipped over Altmann’s shoulder glove side by sophomore forward Vanessa Thibault.

Minnesota Duluth finished with 43 shots to MSU’s 25. UMD went 1-for-3 with an extra attacker, and Minnesota State went 0-for-3.

Altmann finished with 38 saves and UMD sophomore goaltender Jennifer Harss earend the shut-out and 25 saves.

Minnesota State ends its 2010-11 season with an 8-25-3 overall record and 7-20-1-0 in the WCHA.

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