EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's lacrosse team defeated UW-La Crosse 16-14 on Wednesday at the Sonnentag Fieldhouse to lock up home field advantage for the upcoming Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament.
The Blugolds' victory over the Eagles in their conference finale gave them a 7-2 mark in league play this year, and all other Wisconsin-based members will finish with at least three losses. The top Wisconsin-based team in the standings hosts the conference tournament, meaning the WIAC Tournament title will be decided in Eau Claire at the Sonnentag Fieldhouse on May 2-3.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- UW-Eau Claire (10-5, 7-2) never trailed in the contest against the Eagles (8-5, 4-3).
- Samantha Burns (Sr. - Mahtomedi, Minn.) paved the way with five goals, her highest single-game total this season.
- The Blugolds scored four of the game's first five goals to establish an early cushion. Burns added two goals in quick succession early in the second quarter to make it a 6-2 lead for the Blugolds.
- UW-Eau Claire's largest lead was 8-3 with five minutes left in the first half, but the Eagles scored five in a row between the end of the second quarter and the start of the third to tie the game.
- Burns struck again with 11:04 left in the third quarter to put UW-Eau Claire ahead for good. The two sides traded goals for much of the second half, and UW-Eau Claire led 15-4 with a minute and a half left. Burns iced the game away with a short-handed goal with 1:21 remaining.
- Alexandria Shea (Sr. - Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Indian Trail) tied the program's single-game record with 17 saves. She also had 17 saves against UW-River Falls in 2023.
- Ellie Fisher (So. - Stillwater, Minn.) scored three goals for the Blugolds. Victoria Shea (So. - Pleasant Prairie, Wis./Indian Trail) and Jess Stiller (So. - Evergreen, Colo.) added two apiece.
UP NEXT
The Blugolds wrap up their regular season with a visit to 24th-ranked University of Chicago on Saturday, April 26. Game time is 12 p.m. in Chicago. The Blugolds will then host the WIAC Tournament on May 2 and 3.
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