Good afternoon Badger Fans!
 
Hope you are all having a great week! As I write to you I am currently on the plane journeying to the chilly state of North Dakota.
 
The girls are resting, listening to the new Gavin Degraw album (a particular favorite in our locker room these days), avidly playing games on our new iPads that we so graciously received from the Athletic Department (Jenny Ryan is crushing Candy Crush next to me), and studying--classic Badger plane ride activities.
 
To recap last weekend against Clarkson, the Badgers swept the Golden Knights, defeating them in an overtime win on Friday and a 4-1 victory on Saturday.
 
The Badgers were off to a bit of a slow start on Friday, struggling to adjust to the rink, having to come from behind to tie up the game. Thanks to goals by sophomore Sam Cogan, senior Sarah Nurse, and a beautiful overtime goal by Emily Clark, we were able to pull off the victory.
 
Highlights of Saturday's game include a phenomenal performance by the Badger's second line of Nurse, McKibbon, and Norby. Syd scored two gorgeous goals, including one stellar backhand, and set up Nursey on a picture-perfect 2v1.
 
Baby Badger freshman Presley Norby scored her first collegiate goal on a bar-down snipe from the top of the circles.
 
"It was a special feeling scoring my first goal as a Badger," she told me excitedly. "It is something I have been looking forward to for a very long time!"
 
Congrats Pres!
 
This weekend the Cardinal and White faces a top-10 foe, playing the University of North Dakota in a two-game series Saturday and Sunday. It will be a tough battle, but I have faith in the team that we will pull through!
 
I asked Nurse about her thoughts on the team's attitude coming off of last weekend, heading into this weekend's challenge:
 
"I think we had a slow start to the weekend but definitely got better as the weekend went on," she reflected on our games against Clarkson. "I think going into North Dakota we need to focus on a strong start and being relentless for a full 60 minutes."
 
As are the rest of the girls, Nurse expressed a lot energy for these games.
 
"I'm excited, we get to play another top ten team," she said. "They're going to give us a physical game and, like a lot of teams, they know how to clog the middle so we're going to have to focus on getting pucks through to the net."
 
Come see Badgers play at the Ralph Engelstad Arena tomorrow and Sunday at 2:07 p.m. If you aren't able to make the trip out, follow us live via UWBadgers.Com or on Twitter (@BadgerWHockey). 
 
As always, we thank you for your unwavering support.
 
On Wisconsin!
 
    -Baylee