BOTTINEAU, ND – Fighting from behind all night, the nation's top-ranked University of Mary hockey team dropped a 3-2 decision to Dakota College at Bottineau. The visiting Marauders opened the weekend home-and-home series with a dominating 9-1 win Saturday and held a huge advantage in shots tonight but couldn't match the West Region's 9^th ranked Lumberjacks on the scoreboard.  
 
The Marauders slip to 32-7-0 overall following what is only UMary's second loss ever to an ACHA West Region team. UMary is 24-2 this season against teams in the West region and falls to 7-1 all-time against Dakota College. The Lumberjacks improve to 14-10-3.
 
UMary held a massive 59-36 edge in shots for the game but Dakota State had a 16-15 advantage in the decisive third period.
 
The Lumberjacks opened the scoring on a Blake Carpenter goal at 15:17 of the first period.
 
It didn't take long for the Marauders to pull even. At 1:55 of the second period, Johnny Witzke scored his 14^th goal of the season off a feed from Dalton Johnson.
 
Less than ten minutes later, Dakota College regained the lead on a Zane Macdonald power play goal. And once again, the Marauders found a way to knot the score. Alex Flicek tallied unassisted at 18:09 to send the game into the second intermission tied at 2-2.
 
The lone goal of the third period came at 8:33 when Tucker Alspaugh gave Dakota College its third and final lead of the game.
 
Lance Knudson had a busy night in net for the Marauders, making 33 saves in the game. Matt Trulsen stopped 57 shots for the Lumberjacks.
 
UMary finished the night 0-for-2 on the power play. Dakota College struck for one goal with a man advantage in three opportunities.
 
The Marauders next host Williston State College on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Face off is 7 pm on the Schwan Cadillac Rink at the Starion Sports Complex in Mandan, ND. This game was originally scheduled for Nov. 30 but rescheduled due to a winter storm.
 
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