Senior defenseman Tori Williams hugs UND coach Brian Idalski last Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena on Senior Night. Photo by Nicholas Nelson/The Dakota Student.

Four senior skaters for the UND women’s hockey team were honored Saturday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena after the team finished its last home series of the season.

Johanna Fallman, Andrea Dalen, Tori Williams and Josefine Jakobsen all watched their collegiate careers slowly fade into the final weeks of the season during North Dakota’s 2-0 win over Minnesota State Mankato following a 7-0 win Friday.

“There are really no words to describe my four years here,” Williams said after Saturday night’s game. “These are the best years of my life, and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.”

UND coach Brian Idalski praised his class of senior skaters and said he was impressed with how they approached their four years as student athletes.

“Well, obviously, it was a good group that really kind of helped turn the corner,” Idalski said.  “Super important to our program and our transition. Jakobsen gave us instant offense, and offensively has been a solid player for us. Dalen has been terrific from the word ‘go.’ Fallman was a good, solid player for us. Tori Williams, character wise, all that group, leadership wise, has been terrific.”

Jakobsen led North Dakota in goal scoring as she put away 15 on the season for 26 total points. Captain Andrea Dalen also produced solid numbers in her final season at UND, scoring eight times while also adding 15 assists.

The four seniors played a significant role in turning the season around.

“With all the talk about what was the turn around and what was the difference, those kids really deserve a lot of kudos for that, because they didn’t want their year to end like that,” Idalski said. “So they took a lot of responsibility internally within the locker room and, leadership wise, really kind of led us on a streak and play like we are right now — great group that’s going to be missed.”

North Dakota finished the regular season on a high note, winning its final four conference games against St. Cloud State and Minnesota State while also managing to not allow a single goal.

“We’re doing pretty well with Shelby in the net back there, so that’s given us a lot of confidence,” Williams said. “We’re excited to see what this stretch has to hold for us.”

Amsley-Benzie continues to play great between the pipes, not allowing a goal since North Dakota’s 3-1 loss against Minnesota on Feb. 7. Amsley-Benzie picked up her ninth shutout of the season in Saturday’s win over Mankato.

Having clinched third place in the WCHA standing after Friday night’s victory, North Dakota must wait for Sunday’s outcome of Minnesota Duluth and Ohio State to determine its playoff matchup.

An Ohio State win Sunday will result in North Dakota playing Bemidji State in the first round of the playoffs. If Ohio State loses to Minnesota Duluth on Sunday, the Buckeyes will then be North Dakota’s first round matchup.

“We’re going to be taking note of those box scores and see who our opponent is coming up,” Williams said. “But it doesn’t really matter who our opponent is. We’re going to prepare the same.”

North Dakota’s first game of a best-of-three series for the first round of WCHA playoffs will take place this Friday at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Ben Novak is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].