EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The #10 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team was back at Hobbs Ice Arena as they hosted game one of a weekend double header with St. Norbert College. After a scoreless opening period, the Blugolds ran into stellar goaltending and bad bounces as they dropped the opening game of the series to the Green Knights, 5-1.
The opening period saw an even matchup between the two teams as the Blugolds only outshot St. Norbert 9-6.
Eden Gruber (Sr. – Wausau, Wis./Wausau West) and
Sadie Long (Jr. – Farmington, Minn.) led the offensive pressure from the beginning as they held team high with six shots apiece during the evening matchup. The Blugolds were faced with the only penalty kill of the period but successfully kept the Green Knights from scoring as both teams hit the first intermission tied at 0-0.
The second and third periods held a more tilted ice for UWEC as they outshot the Green Knights 31-5 in the final 40 minutes of play. The Blugolds finished the evening with 40 total shots while surrendering only 11 shots on their net. St. Norbert broke the scoreless tie at the 9:42 mark of the second period and later added a second goal off a transition rush, giving UWEC a 2-0 deficit late in the second period. The Blugolds never backed down as
Maddie Hulter (Fr. – Burnsville, Minn.) found the back of the net with just 16 seconds left in the period to cut the Eau Claire deficit back to one goal before the second intermission.
Sophie Rausch (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) and
Sadie Long earned assists on Hulter's fifth goal of the season.
Special teams found its way into the game as the previous hot as fire Blugold powerplay was kept scoreless on five opportunities.
Sophie Rausch and
Ellie Andersen (Jr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) found their chances as they game continued as each player recorded five shots on goal each but were unable to find the back of the net. The Green Knights added three goals in the final period of play as they handed the Blugolds just their fourth defeat of the season.
Josie Mathison (Sr. – Tomah, Wis.) stopped 6 of the 11 shots she faced in her second loss of the season. Mathison is now 8-2-0 on the year.
The Blugolds (10-4-0, WIAC 2-1-0) conclude the weekend series with the Green Knights on Saturday, January 6
th with a 6 p.m. puck drop at Hobbs Ice Arena.
