[media-credit name=’JACK RENDULICH/Associated Press’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]DULUTH, Minn ? Jinelle Zaugg scored twice and Jessie Vetter made 33 saves to help two-time defending champion Wisconsin beat Harvard 4-1 on Thursday in the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four semifinals.
Erika Lawler and Jasmine Giles also scored and Meghan Duggan had two assists for the fourth-ranked Badgers (29-8-3). Wisconsin will face Minnesota Duluth in the title game Saturday in a rematch of the Badgers’ 4-1 championship victory last year.
Minnesota Duluth beat New Hampshire 3-2 in the second semifinal.
Top-ranked Harvard (32-2-0) lost for the first time in 22 games. It was just the second time this season that Harvard allowed more than two goals ? both were losses.
After Jen Brawn gave the Crimson a 1-0 first-period lead, Lawler and Giles scored 2 minutes apart early in the second. Zaugg scored on a feed from Lawler midway through the second to make it 3-1, and off a feed from Mallory Deluce early in the third period.
Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson said Lawler’s goal was a turning point, improving the Badgers’ mental outlook and energy level.
“Being down one-nothing after the first period, I think we played exceptionally well because both sides were hesitant and a little nervous,” Johnson said. “I sort of relate it to a pingpong game where the puck is going back and forth. You know, Erika’s goal kind of calmed everyone down.”