EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The #8 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team continued Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic (WIAC) play on Saturday afternoon as they hosted a top-10 matchup down at Hobbs Ice Arena against #4 ranked UW-River Falls. After a close opening period, the Blugolds surrendered three third period goals and tallied just one in the final frame as they suffered their first WIAC loss of the year, 5-2.
In the first period, the Blugolds faced an early deficit as UWRF found the first tally of the contest at the 5:51 mark. The Blugolds answered the early Falcon goal with a tally of their own as
Sophie Rausch (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) found the back of the net just two minutes later to tie the game at 1-1. Rausch's 13
th goal of the season ranks her first on the team and first in the WIAC for goals.
Eden Gruber (Sr. – Wausau, Wis./West) and
Sadie Long (Jr. – Farmington, Minn.) earned assists on UWEC's opening goal.
The conference matchup brought intensity as River Falls regained their lead at the 12:07 mark and held the one goal advantage into the first intermission.
The middle frame saw physicality increase as 6 of the 14 penalties called during the afternoon came in the second period. Each side was successful at defending the power plays six out of the seven opportunities both squads had. Despite the tight special teams' play, UWRF took control with three second period goals to increase the Eau Claire deficit to 4-1.
In the third period, Sam Bandholz (Jr. – Richfield, Wis./Slinger) found the lone goal for UWEC as the Blugolds attempted to mount a comeback, but the Falcons shut down the resurgence and handed Eau Claire their first WIAC loss of the season.
Josie Mathison (Sr. – Tomah, Wis.) stopped 28 of the 33 shots she faced in her first loss of the season. Mathison is now 4-1-0 on the year.
The Blugolds (6-2-0, WIAC 2-1-0) will take a break from WIAC play next weekend and travel to the East coast as they compete in the Panther/Cardinal Classic, hosted by Middlebury University in Middlebury, Vt. UW-Eau Claire will face #3 ranked Plattsburgh State on Saturday, November 25
th at 5 p.m. CST.
