The Wisconsin women's hockey team is heading to its first-ever Frozen Four, but it didn't come easy.

It took more than 90 minutes worth of action against Mercyhurst, but Tia Hanson secured a victory by tipping in the winning goal in double overtime Saturday night at Capital Ice Arena.

"I didn't see it go in," Hanson said. "I just saw everyone pile on, so I just joined the crowd."

Her goal at 90:10 ended the longest game in UW history and punched the Badgers' ticket to Minneapolis' Mariucci Arena.

"The toughest thing about the Frozen Four is getting in, and now we've got in, and you might as well go up there and try to win it," UW head coach Mark Johnson said at a news conference Sunday. "This opportunity isn't guaranteed every year. Hopefully we'll be back there consistently over the years to come, but it takes a lot of hard work."

Wisconsin had to come from behind early. The Lakers jumped on top with a short-handed goal just 9:06 into the first period, beating UW freshman goalie Jessie Vetter.

But the Badgers responded thanks to a Bobbi-Jo Slusar slapshot that found the back of the net with Wisconsin on a power play. The shot from the blue line evened the game at 1-1 late in the first period before both teams went into a scoring drought.

Vetter and Mercyhurst goalie Laura Hosier held their opponents at bay through regulation and one full 20-minute overtime period. Vetter finished with 37 saves to Hosier's 34, and the rookie came away with a victory thanks to Hanson's double-overtime goal.

"There was definitely a lot of pressure on my end. One bad move and the game's over," Vetter said. "I knew that if we just kept going at them that, because we were playing really well, that it would eventually go in the net."

Midway through the second overtime, junior Kristin Witting fired the puck at the net as Hanson waited in front. The freshman forward got her stick on the puck, deflecting it past the right skate of Hosier, and celebration ensued.

Wisconsin will face St. Lawrence — the only team remaining in the tournament that it hasn't faced this season — Friday after the Saints took care of Minnesota-Duluth in first-round action.

"We're real excited about the opportunity this upcoming weekend," Johnson said Sunday. "The game last night was very intense and certainly nerve-racking."

The Badgers hope their experience up to this point — including six combined games this season against Minnesota and New Hampshire, the other two teams at the Frozen Four — will carry them to a national championship.

"I think the strength of our league and some of our non-conference games have prepared us for this opportunity," Johnson said. "Obviously, we'll try to do some homework here and collect some information on our opponent Friday and try to prepare ourselves."

Of course it would be a great testament to the program to get to the national championship game and also win it, but UW has already made a statement in making its first Frozen Four appearance.

"Winning a national championship is something that we all want to do, but just being at the Frozen Four is awesome for our program," Slusar said. "It says a lot about the coaches as well as the players and our program in general. I think this is awesome."

"I definitely think we are [getting more attention]," UW goaltender Meghan Horras said. "Half my friends from high school hadn't even seen me play until this year. Those people are definitely interested and are spreading the word around campus. I think it's really a positive."

After opting to go with freshman Vetter between the pipes Saturday, Johnson further showed the triumvirate of goalies at his disposal. He will continue to assess the net-minding situation and will determine his starter game by game.

"I talk to my two assistants and I'll talk to my goaltending coach, and ultimately it becomes my decision," Johnson said. "We have three good, quality goaltenders. You can actually put them all in a hat and pull out one of them and feel comfortable with that individual. We just felt [Vetter] was best suited for the team we were playing and the rink we were playing in."

Whoever is between the pipes this weekend, you can be sure the Badgers will leave everything they have out on the ice as they begin their mission for their first-ever NCAA Championship.

"When people leave Minneapolis on Sunday, they'll only remember the team that won," Johnson said. "You only remember the team that won it. That's the mission. We're a part of it, and why not go win it?"

— UWBadgers.com contributed to this report.