ST. CLOUD, Minn. — #14 UW-Eau Claire lost to the (RV) College Saint Benedict (1-0-0) 3-1 Friday at Ritsche Arena. The Blugolds put 40 shots on goal to the Bennies 23, but was held to a third-period power-play goal.
The Blugolds generated the first sustained push after an early Saint Benedict hooking penalty, putting several attempts toward Lexi Badali during the power play before Saint Benedict returned to full strength. Saint Benedict answered with a run of shots over the next several minutes, but
Tegan Swanson handled the chances to keep the first period scoreless. UWEC built more pressure through the middle and late stages, including multiple looks from
Ashley Wagenbach,
Ava Johansson and
Kylie Wiltse. Wagenbach hit the pipe late, and Swanson stopped the final Saint Benedict chances before the first period ended without a goal.
UWEC absorbed early CSB chances with blocked shots from
Maddie Hulter and
Nora Carstensen, then generated looks from Wagenbach, Johansson,
Madisyn Krumholz and
Josie Grossman before the midpoint of the second period. After the Blugolds killed
Kenzie Keller's interference penalty, Saint Benedict scored at 9:20 on Pyper Andrews' even-strength goal from Cambriia Thomas, then added another at 8:52 when Greer Hardacre scored off assists from Ella Tuccitto and Bailey Vesper to make it 2-0. UW-Eau Claire pushed back with shots from Krumholz and Wagenbach shortly after the goals and later put three
Mathilde Vetter attempts toward net in a 32-second span. The Blugolds also killed penalties to
Adrienne Hansen and
Jana Lesch in the closing minutes, but Saint Benedict held the 2-0 lead through the end of the period.
After
Jordan Hancock's roughing penalty put the Blugolds short-handed, Saint Benedict's advantage ended with a penalty of its own, and Hulter converted the ensuing power play at 15:18 off a Wiltse assist to make it 2-1. UWEC continued to create chances through the middle of the third, but Saint Benedict answered at 7:43 when Shae Stinnett scored with assists from Pyper Andrews and Cambriia Thomas for a 3-1 lead. Krumholz hit the pipe at 6:36, and after a timeout the Blugolds pulled their goalie with 2:22 left and generated late looks, but Lexi Badali stopped attempts from Wagenbach and
Lauren Ballinger in the final 10 seconds as Saint Benedict closed out the 3-1 result.
Hulter scored a power-play goal, finished with four shots on goal and added a blocked shot. Wiltse recorded an assist, three shots on goal and two blocked shots. Wagenbach led UW-Eau Claire with seven shots on goal. Hansen won 13 faceoffs at 81% and added two shots on goal.
The Blugolds fall to 0-1-0 overall while Saint Benedict moves to 1-0-0 overall.
Up next, UW-Eau Claire travels to St. Cloud, Minn., to face College of Saint Benedict on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. at Ritsche Arena in game two of the series.
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