The bull's-eye is finally off the backs of the Wisconsin women's hockey team.
After splitting last weekend's series against Minnesota-Duluth, Wisconsin had its school record 26-game unbeaten streak snapped, as well as losing its No. 1 national ranking. Wisconsin (14-1-1) is now ranked second nationally.
"It makes us feel a little better," junior forward Jinelle Zaugg said. "It's just a number; it's just a ranking. I think it kind of takes the bull's-eye off our jerseys. … I don't think we really knew that [the streak] was that long. … It's nice to get that loss out of the way so we're not afraid to [lose]."
The Badgers will be looking to put all that behind them when they travel to Pittsburgh to play against non-conference opponent Robert Morris University this weekend.
The Colonials (5-7-2) are in just the second year of its program and have shown lots of signs of immaturity.
"They're a new team and … I know they work hard," assistant captain Phoebe Monteleone said. "I know they have a great goalie, too."
Robert Morris's youth is reflected greatly by its offense, which has been up and down all season.
The Colonials routed Chatham 13-0, with six goals in the first period alone, and had another victory by the score 7-2. But the team has been shut out three times already this season.
Robert Morris is averaging 2.9 goals per game but, without the two lopsided victories, is producing just two goals each matchup.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, is averaging four goals per game while allowing just 1.3, whereas Robert Morris has allowed 2.5 goals per game.
The Badgers also have a big advantage in special teams, as Wisconsin has converted on 33 percent of its power plays compared to just 14.3 percent for Robert Morris.
However, the teams do match up quite well at goalie, and this series could quite possibly become quite a goaltender duel.
Wisconsin goalies Jessie Vetter and Christine Dufour have save percentages of .927 and .928, respectively.
The Colonials' goaltender Brianna McLaughlin holds a save percentage of .932 and was named Defensive Player of the Week by USCHO.com for the week of Nov. 22 after stopping 65 of 66 shots against Vermont and Providence.
It could be a difficult task getting pucks by McLaughlin. However, after scoring just one goal last weekend, the Badgers will look to step it up on offense.
Wisconsin's leading point producers Zaugg and Sara Bauer, who lead the conference in scoring, will be expected to bring the Badgers out of their offensive mini-drought.
The Badgers will also look to the energetic line of Erika Lawler, Meghan Duggan and Angie Keseley to provide some offense as well. The three players have combined for 47 points so far this season.
It should also be quite a homecoming for Monteleone, who is a native of Pittsburgh.
Monteleone's sister, Jenny Monteleone, is a sophomore defender for Robert Morris, but has been out for much of the season with an injury.
The sisters both attended the same high school and played for the Ohio Flames prior to collegiate hockey. "My parents travel so much for me and my other three sisters because we all played sports growing up," Monteleone said. "It's a great chance just to go home and have them be there and for friends I have that go to college in Pennsylvania, for them to be able to come. It means a lot, especially in my senior year, to get to go home and play."
Now that the Badgers have the weight and pressure off of them to keep up their winning streak and don't have to worry about maintaining their status of being the No.1 team in the nation, they will look to go into this series a bit more rejuvenated.
"I think [losing the ranking] motivates us a little bit more," senior defender and captain Bobbi-Jo Slusar said. "We have a couple weekends that are big weekends for us, and if we can come off with a few wins, that's very, very crucial. … Now we have a new winning streak [to go for]."
One winning streak ends, and now the Badgers want to start another one. Right now, Robert Morris stands in the way.
