EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - The top-seeded UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team is one step closer to an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament after defeating fourth seed UW-La Crosse 5-1 today in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Semifinal.

This is the third time in as many years the Blugolds have advanced to the WIAC Tournament Championship match. The last two years the Blugolds have defeated UW-River Falls 2-0 to advance to the championship. Already having defended the regular season crown, this season's squad could defend both the regular season and tournament titles with a win in tomorrow's championship match.

The 15th ranked Blugolds are now 17-1-2 on the season. UW-La Crosse ends its season 11-7-1.

The Blugolds jumped on the board early scoring 1:48 into the first half. Gina Christenbury (Fr.- Pleasant Prairie, WI/Kenosha Tremper) got her sixth goal of the season and the first of the match with an assist going to Anna Talbot (Sr.- Apple Valley, MN/Eastview). Just over three minutes later Jessica Millard (Jr.- Madison, WI/La Follette) would increase the lead to 2-0. Talbot had her second assist of the game on Millard's third goal of the season.

The Eagles answered with a goal of its own at the 18:31 mark in the first half making the score 2-1. Ramsey Weyenberg (Jr.- Appleton, WI/East) scored her ninth goal of the season on an assist by Amy Cory (Sr.- Crystal Lake, IL/South).

Eau Claire led going into the half 2-1. The Blugolds had 10 shots and one corner kick in the first half as the Eagles had four shots.

Liz Weirick (Sr.- Kenosha, WI/Tremper) started in the net for the Blugolds. Weirick had one save on four shots and allowed one goal.

Eau Claire got on the board 7:26 into the second half with a goal from Jamie Schiesel (Fr.- Plymouth, MN/Armstrong). Amy Smith (Jr.- Bloomington, MN/Thomas Jefferson) had the assist on Schiesel's fifth goal of the season.

At the 76:02 mark Allison Muer (Jr.- Minneapolis, MN/South) added to the lead making it 4-1 in favor of the Blugolds. Muer's goal was unassisted and was her third of the season. With 20 seconds left in the game Liz Hunter (Fr.- Stevens Point, WI) would score her third goal of the season to make it 5-1. Shannon Conlin (So.- Reedsburg, WI) had the assist on the fifth and final goal of the match.

Allie Rivard (Jr.- Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) took over the net for the Blugolds in the second half. Rivard had one save on three shots and allowed no goals for the Eagles.

In the end the Blugolds outshot the Eagles 25-7, Smith lead the way with five shots on goal. The Eagles had 10 fouls with seven for the Blugolds. Eau Claire also had one corner kick compared to the Eagles zero.

The Blugolds will host its third consecutive WIAC Championship match tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Bollinger Fields. The winner automatically qualifies for the NCAA tournament.

Eau Claire-La Crosse Box Score

- KD -