ST. PAUL - The sixth-ranked UW-Eau Claire soccer team lost its second match of the season tonight, losing to unbeaten 23rd-ranked Macalester College (MN) 1-0.

The Blugolds, who are ranked sixth in this week's NSCAA/adidas Division III national poll, are now 15-2-0 overall this season. The 23rd-ranked Scots are now 10-0-5 overall. The Scots are 3-0-1 against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) this season.

The Blugolds came into the match as the second-ranked team in the Central Region and Macalester was the sixth-ranked team. Both of the Blugolds losses this season have come to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) opponents. The Blugolds lost to St. Olaf College (MN) earlier in the year also by a score of 1-0.

Both defenses dominated the first half as both teams only combined for six shots in the half. The Blugolds had the best opportunities in the half with three shots on goal, but all were stopped.

The Scots would only get two shots on goal in the second half, however one got past Blugold goalkeeper Liz Weirick (So.-Kenosha, WI/Tremper). In the 52nd minute the Scots' Grace Geiger scored to put Macalester up 1-0.

The Blugolds put the pressure on the Scots as they controlled the ball on Macalester's end of the field at the end of the match. The Blugolds out-shot the Scots 9-2 in the second half and had four shots on goal, but could not get one past the goalkeeper. The Scots hung on to win 1-0.

The Blugolds out-shot the Scots 13-4 in the match. Goalkeeper Jenny Lee had seven saves for Macalester.

The Scots extended their unbeaten streak to 42 games, the second longest in Division III history. The all-time record is 60 by Ohio Wesleyan from 2001-03. Macalester also has not lost a home match in 27 straight contests.

The Blugolds are 1-8-1 all-time against the Scots with their only win coming in 1994. The Blugolds have lost six straight since then.

The Blugolds will finish their conference regular season on Saturday when they travel to face UW-River Falls. With a win, the Blugolds can clinch their second consecutive outright regular season conference championship. The match gets underway at 1 p.m.

Eau Claire-Macalester Box Score

- JR -