MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The Beavers came out ready for the ACHA National Tournament, but got plenty of fight out of in-state rival Jamestown, as well.

The third-ranked Minot State women's hockey team put three pucks in the back of the net in the opening 8 ½ minutes then weathered a determined comeback by the 10^th-ranked Jimmies to score a 5-4 win in overtime in the pool play opener for both teams.

With the win, the Beavers (19-7-7 overall) can clinch the pool title and a spot in the national semifinals on Saturday with a win over No. 6 Michigan-Dearborn, who Minot State plays Thursday at 2 p.m. to wrap up pool play. The game is the tournament opener for the Wolverines (29-2-1).

Wednesday, in the 7th meeting this season and 30^th overall with the Jimmies, Minot State started fast as Paige Crossley made it 1-0 just 4 minutes, 15 seconds into the action, finishing off assists from Cameron Schmidt and Payton Lang.

Marlie Rutherford then stretched the lead to 2-0 just 2 minutes, 13 seconds later, helped out by Olivia Kirwan and Addison Dyck, who had the assists.

Two minutes and 1 second after that, the Beavers had a 3-0 lead as Olivia Opheim scored off assists from Kaitlyn Snyder and Abby Pineau, capping a fantastic 8:29 opening surge to the national tournament.

But the Jimmies fought back.

Jayden Baker scored with 9:06 left in the first, then Bethany Wieglosh made it a 3-2 contest with 6:58 gone in the second period before Minot State's Schmidt pushed the Beavers back in front by two scores with a power-play goal with 8:17 gone in the second off an Abby Tallman assist.

That lead disappeared before the period ended, though, as Samantha Beaulac scored at the 12:29 mark and Kelsey Amick tied it 4-4 for the Jimmies with 2:13 left before the intermission.

After two frantic periods, neither team scored in the third, setting up overtime where Minot State prevailed on Tallman's unassisted goal with 8:52 gone in the extra session.

Jillian Ackerman finished with 27 saves in goal in the win for the Beavers, including 7 in the third period and overtime combined to stave off the Jimmies and thwart their comeback momentum.