MENOMONIE, Wis. — UW-Eau Claire defeated UW-Stout Polytechnic 4-1 on Wednesday at Nelson Field. The Blugolds scored three times in the first half and added one after halftime while holding the Blue Devils scoreless in the second half. The teams each finished with nine shots, with UWEC putting five on goal and Stout Polytechnic four.
The Blugolds built a 2-0 first-half lead with goals 1:33 apart, as
Emma Donovan scored at 12:11 off assists from
Jayda Swopes and
Olivia Lukrafka Varassin before Lukrafka Varassin finished a Donovan assist at 13:44. The visitors kept creating chances after that burst, with Donovan putting a shot on frame in the 21st minute, a corner kick following shortly after and Swopes sending a shot high. UWEC also played through a choppy stretch that included three fouls called on the visitors between 21:29 and 28:11. After UWS scored at 32:02, the Blugolds responded 30 seconds later when
Megan Dwyer scored from Donovan to restore a two-goal cushion and send the visitors into halftime ahead 3-1.
UW-Eau Claire kept the Blue Devils scoreless in the second half and added to its lead in the 81st minute, when
Johanna Thompson scored off
Brooklyn Osby's assist to make it 4-1. Earlier,
Bella Jones made a save on Kayla White in the 54th minute before the Blugolds played through a foul-heavy stretch that included three UW-Eau Claire fouls and a yellow card to
Josie Steeno. UWS pushed with several chances from the 69th through 77th minutes, but the Blugolds did not concede as Jones added another save during that run. UW-Eau Claire then earned three corner kicks from 77:37 to 80:14 before Thompson's goal, and the visitors finished off a 4-1 win.
Donovan finished with a team-high four points, recording a goal and two assists while putting both of her shots on goal. Lukrafka Varassin added a goal and an assist, with her goal listed as the game-winner. Thompson scored on one of her two shots. Jones played all 90 minutes in goal and made three saves while allowing one goal.
The Blugolds advance to 6-3-4 overall and 1-1-1 in WIAC play. UW-Stout Polytechnic falls to 4-7-4 overall and 0-3-0 in the WIAC.
Up next, the Blugolds travel to Whitewater, Wis., to face UW-Whitewater on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2 p.m. at Robert Fiskum Field.
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