EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - For the first time this season, the seventh-ranked UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team dropped a game at Zorn Arena, falling 64-57 to fifth-ranked UW-Stevens Point tonight. The Blugolds are now 10-1 at home.

Eau Claire drops to 19-4 on the season and 10-4 in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, dropping to third place in the conference. Stevens Point remains in the lead in the WIAC standings with a 12-1 record and a 20-2 overall record. This was the third meeting between the two teams this season. Eau Claire defeated the Pointers in the championship game of its Thanksgiving Showcase 60-54 on November 29 before falling at Stevens Point 66-60 on January 21.

The game tonight was the Blugolds' first conference loss in Zorn Arena since January 25, 2006 when the Blugolds lost 67-54 to UW-Stout. While it was the Blugolds' first conference loss since that time, the last time they came up short in Zorn Arena was in last year's WIAC Tournament Championship game also against UW-Stevens Point.

The 57 points Eau Claire picked up was only the fifth time this season the Blugolds scored less than 60. However, it was the first loss in those games. Stevens Point, which leads the league in scoring, was held to less than their average of 70.2 points per game.

In the Blugolds' other three losses this season they averaged only 38 percent shooting from the floor and tonight was no different. Eau Claire ended the game shooting 38.2 percent (23-for-45) while the Pointers came away shooting 51.1 percent (21-for-55). However, the Blugolds were more aggressive down low, outrebounding the Pointers 35-30 and scoring 32 points in the paint compared to the Pointers' 24.

Heidi Arciszewski (Sr.-Thorp, Wis.), who is fifth in the league in scoring, led Eau Claire with 12 points while she pulled down six rebounds. Jodi Lindner (Jr.-Neillsville, Wis.) led the team in rebounding with nine and also finished with 10 points. Heather Witt (Sr.-Kendall, Wis./Royall) came up with 11 points and led the Blugolds' with four assists and steals. Ellen Plendl (Fr.-Chippewa Falls, Wis./McDonell) also did her best to try and get the Blugolds going in the second half, scoring six of her eight points in the first five minutes of the period.

Jessi Sporle and Britta Petersen finished with 14 points apiece to lead all scorers while Peterson lead the Pointers with six boards. Katie Webber also finished with 12 points. The Blugolds were able to hold Janell Van Gomple to below her season average of 13 points a contest. She only came up with seven tonight.

The Blugolds will have this weekend off but will be back on the floor next Wednesday for a game at UW-Platteville at 7 p.m. Saturday Eau Claire will wrap up the regular season with a game at UW-Stout.

Eau Claire-Stevens Point Box Score

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