GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- -- Despite out-shooting Ohio State, 34-15, the UND women's hockey team ended losing a 4-2 decision to the Buckeyes on Friday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The loss drops North Dakota to 13-14-6 (10-12-5-3 WCHA) on the season, while Ohio State improves to 13-15-5 (6-15-5-2 WCHA) and moves into fifth place in the league standings.

North Dakota will host the fifth-place team for the first round of playoffs next weekend, but depending on the outcomes of tomorrow's games, UND could still play either Ohio State, St. Cloud State or Bemidji State.

The game marks the seventh time this season that UND has out-shot an opponent and lost. The Buckeyes also scored first in the game, as the Fighting Hawks have been unable to buck the trend of failing to win when conceding the first goal of the game.

Ohio State opened the scoring early in the contest, after Maddy Field scored on a breakaway at the 3:53 mark. North Dakota went on to out-shoot Ohio State, 12-5, in the first period, but came away empty handed.

UND was assessed two penalties in the closing minutes of the first period and had to start the second period on a five-on-three penalty kill. However, Rebekah Kolstad broke away from the field and scored high-glove to tie the game back at 1-1.

The Fighting Hawks killed off the first penalty, but Ohio State scored with one second left on the five-on-four advantage to take back the lead.

Again, North Dakota out-shot Ohio State, 12-4, in the period, but the Buckeyes would end up scoring a second goal before the end of the period to take a 3-1 lead into the third.

North Dakota looked to battle back as freshman Ryleigh Houston scored her seventh goal of the season at the 3:38 mark. After an Ohio State turnover, Charly Dahlquist got the puck in the OSU zone for a two-on-one with Houston. Dahlquist made the pass over to Dahlquist, who buried her shot short side to bring UND back within one.

Unfortunately, Ohio State's special teams struck again to take back its two-goal advantage. At the 8:21 mark of the third period, Field scored her second goal of the game to put Ohio State up, 4-2.

UND was unable to get anything else going on offense late in the contest, and a penalty assessed to the Fighting Hawks in the final two-minute stretch negated any chance of an extra-attacker rally.

The Fighting Hawks and Buckeyes finish off the regular season tomorrow afternoon back at Ralph Engelstad Arena at 1:07 p.m. (CT). Following the contest, UND will take time to honor its 2016-17 senior class.