RIVER FALLS - The UW-Eau Claire soccer team advanced to the NCAA Championship Sectionals today after a three-goal performance by Maria Iaizzo (Sr. -White Bear Lake, MN) in the 4-0 shutout over Augustana College (IL).

This is the farthest any Blugold team has ever gotten in the championships. Last year's team had made it to round two before losing 2-1 to Wheaton College (IL) in overtime. Last season's championships also featured a contest between Eau Claire and Augustana in the regional. The two teams played to a 0-0 tie after 110 minutes in round one, but Eau Claire advanced after winning the shootout 4-3. This also is only second time an Eau Claire team has made a run in the championships.

Iaizzo started the scoring 5:25 into today's game for the 16th-ranked Blugolds. Assists came from Liz Kooistra (So.-Lakeville, MN) and Emily Meisinger (Sr.-Green Bay/Notre Dame Academy). At 27:44 Kooistra again hooked up for a score, this time to Amy Smith (So.-Bloomington, MN/Jefferson) to put Eau Claire on top 2-0, which remained the score at halftime.

The Blugolds put up 12 shots in the half with the Vikings managing one against a stingy Eau Claire defense that has not allowed a goal in eight games or 720 minutes. Keri Hess for Augustana made six saves on the 12 shots while Allie Rivard (So.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) saw no action in the Blugold goal. The fouls went four to Augustana and two to the Blugolds.

Iaizzo then doubled the score in the second half. Her first goal came at 61:03 with Meisinger again assisting. The one that completed the hat trick found the net at 73:08 off a pass from Smith.

In the end Eau Claire outshot the Vikings 17-5. Hess made seven saves and the only Blugold save was recorded by Liz Weirick (Jr.-Kenosha/Tremper), who came into goal the last 23:04. Augustana had 11 fouls compared to seven for Eau Claire.

Iaizzo's three goals tie for most by one Blugold this season. She also had a hat trick in a 6-1 win over UW-Whitewater earlier this season. Iaizzo's performance also included eight shots, five of which were on goal. The eight shots is a season-best while the five shots on goal tie Iaizzo's output from a 2-0 win over UW-La Crosse this season. In the end she had six points, one behind her Whitewater performance. Iaizzo has 18 goals, two shy of the Eau Claire single-season record. For the team, the five assists and 11 shots on goal both tie for second-most on the year.

Eau Claire reached the second round after winning 2-0 over Concordia-Moorhead (MN) in opening round play. The first goal came from Meisinger at the 60:40 mark. She had been tripped by the Cobber goalie and was awarded a penalty kick. With a new goalie in due to the red card and removal, Meisinger's kicked was knocked away by the outstretched goalkeeper. Meisinger got the rebound and found net to take the 1-0 lead. Anna Talbot (Jr.-Apple Valley, MN/Eastview) provided the next unassisted score at 81:15 when her shot flew under the crossbar. Eau Claire was outshot 12-to-11.

The Vikings advanced due to two goals from Tessa Roberts in a 2-1 victory over Grinnell College (IA). Augustana found itself in an early 1-0 hole when Pioneer Katherine Ni took a Miki Nakamura pass and scored. Roberts was awarded a penalty kick at 71:41 and delivered to tie it up. Then at 84:54 she scored the winning goal when Pioneer goalie Liz Carrier came out to face her. Roberts slipped by Carrier and found the open net. Cody Koehler had the assist. The shots went 10-to-9 in favor of the Vikings. This was the second consecutive NCAA Championships appearance for Augustana, which made it as an at-large school. In both appearances it was defeated by the Blugolds.

The Blugolds now await the winner of the match between Wheaton and Macalester College (MN). The Thunder are ranked 10th in the polls while Macalester is in not in the top 25. Eau Claire has played only the Scots this season and lost 1-0 while outshooting them 13-4 on October 18th. That goal was the last time Eau Claire ha