EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Ranked 15th nationally and second in the Central Region, the UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team made its earliest NCAA Tournament exit in school history losing 2-1 in the first round to 11th seed Wartburg (IA).

The Blugolds have advanced to the NCAA Sectionals the previous two seasons, but were halted today by a Wartburg team that was making its first NCAA appearance in school history. Wartburg won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) championship game against regular season IIAC Champions Loras College to earn an at large bid.

It was a scoreless first period, in which the Blugolds out-shot the Knights 7-0. The Blugolds also had three corner kicks to the Knights two. Eau Claire goalie Liz Weirick (Sr.- Kenosha, WI/Tremper) faced no shots and had no saves in the first. Wartburg goalie Rachel Coleman (So.- Chanhassen, MN/Winnetonka) had three saves and allowed zero goals.

Wartburg jumped on the board 6:49 into the second half on a corner kick that went directly into the net without being touched by either team. Lauren Thomas (So.- Winnebago, IL/Winnebago) scored the first goal of the match for the Knights and her fifth goal of the season.

The Knights would increase the lead 15:08 seconds later on a goal by Rachel Oswald (Jr.- Dubuque, IA/Wahlert) to make the score 2-0. Oswald took a shot from about 30 yards out that was out of the reach of Blugold goalie Allie Rivard (Jr.- Plymouth, MN/Wayzata). Amber Bennett (Fr.- Sussex, WI/Catholic Memorial) got the assist on Oswald's 14th goal of the season.

Eau Claire made a run with a little over five minutes remaining in the game with a goal by Sam Krueger (So.- Elkhorn, WI) at the 84:57 mark. Liz Kooistra (Jr.- Lakeville, MN) had the assist, her eighth of the season on Krueger's seventh goal of the season. Krueger's goal was the closest Eau Claire would get to keeping its season alive.

Rivard had no saves and allowed two goals for the Blugolds in the second half. Christina Ernst (Jr.- Coral Stream, IL/Wheaton North) allowed one goal and had zero saves in the second for Wartburg.

Eau Claire had three shots on goal and no corner kicks in the second half and Wartburg had five shots on goal and three corner kicks in the second half.

The Blugolds ended its season today at 18-2-2 and Wartburg moves to 17-3-1 and will take on Carthage College in the NCAA Regional Championship.

Carthage College, ranked sixth in the Central Region also made its first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament today where it upset Concordia-Moorhead 2-1 with two second half goals.

This is Concordia's second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and second straight first round loss. The Cobbers lost to Eau Claire 2-0 last year in first round action. The Cobbers ended its season today at 16-4-1 and the Lady Red's moved to 16-4-1 on the season.

Concordia got on the board 31:44 into the first half with a goal by Sam Johnson (Fr.- Fargo, ND/Fargo North) with the assist going to Susan Obermiller (Fr.- Fargo, ND/Fargo North). Obermiller's pass to Johnson set up a break away that allowed Johnson to score her eight goal of the season for the Cobbers.

Britt Reiersgord (Jr.- Edina, MN/Edina) had two saves and allowed no goals in the first half for Concordia. Lindsey Bollman (Jr.- Greendale, WI/Martin Luther) had one save and allowed one goal in the first half for Carthage. Concordia had five shots and three corner kicks in the first and Carthage had three shots and one corner kick.

Carthage tied the game up 18:59 into the second half with a goal from Debbie Kozlowski (Fr.- Forest Park, IL/Westchester-St. Joseph). Jackie Krug (Fr.- Lockport, IL) had the assist on Kozlowski's fourth goal of the season. Carthage would score again 12:21 later when Jackie Peterson (Jr.- Schaumburg, IL) would put Carthage up 2-1 with an unassisted goal off