WHITEWATER, Wis. — The Blugolds advance to the WIAC Championship with a 0-0 final score against UW-Whitewater on a brisk Friday night at Robert W. Fiskum Field, taking the shootout 4-1. The Blugolds finished with an 18-5 advantage in shots and put five attempts on goal while allowing two. The match also turned physical late in the second half, with nine combined fouls and cards from 71:58 to 80:58 and 34 total fouls between the teams.
The Blugolds had the first listed chance after an early foul, with
Baylor Denu sending a shot out top right at 6:21. The middle of the half tightened into a foul-heavy stretch, including six combined fouls from 14:35 to 22:45 while the score remained 0-0. Ouro,
Kyron Pope and
Oge Enwemnwa added attempts for the Blugolds later in the half, and Douglas saved Mason Diercks' shot at 44:41 as the first half finished scoreless.
UW-Eau Claire opened the second half with early pressure, earning a corner at 46:47 before
Luis Marquez Sedano shot wide and Ouro put an attempt on frame that Austin Waite saved at 53:07. After a foul-heavy stretch,
Tavin Ferner generated chances in the 63rd and 69th minutes, and Denu forced another Waite save at 70:29 after a Blugolds corner. The half grew more physical from there, with cards to the Warhawks at 75:00 and 80:58 around a UWEC yellow to
Tate McDermott, while Douglas kept the match scoreless with a save on Agostino Angelini at 80:46. The Blugolds pushed again late after a red card to Mason Diercks at 85:23, getting shots from Ouro and
Elijah Post plus a corner at 88:15, but the half ended without a goal.
UWEC generated the first overtime's pressure almost immediately, earning a corner at 90:33 before Post had a shot stopped by a UWW team save at 91:08. Ouro hit the top woodwork five seconds later, keeping the match tied at 0-0 despite the early chances. Ouro put another shot on frame at 97:00 that Austin Waite saved, then sent an attempt high at 97:52 as the overtime ended without a goal.
The Blugolds generated the only recorded attacking chances of the second overtime, beginning with a corner kick at 103:39 while the match was tied 0-0. Marquez Sedano followed with a shot that went high at 106:25, and UWEC earned another corner at 107:11. UWW did not record a shot in the segment, and the match remained 0-0 at the end of the second overtime.
Post opened the shootout with a made attempt for UW-Eau Claire, and Lorin Baettig missed UW-Whitewater's first try. Marquez Sedano converted the next attempt before Nil Calvo Alsina made UWW lone successful attempt. Ouro kept the Blugolds perfect on their third kick, Aidian Martin missed for the Warhawks, and Denu finished the segment by converting UWEC's fourth straight attempt.
Ramzi Ouro led UW-Eau Claire with eight shots and put three on goal.
Payton Douglas played all 110 minutes in goal, made two saves and finished with a shutout.
The Blugolds go to 9-3-7 overall and 2-1-2 in the WIAC. UW-Whitewater end their season 10-2-7 overall and 2-0-3 in WIAC play.
Up next, UW-Eau Claire travels to UW-Platteville on Sunday, November 8 at 12 p.m. for the WIAC Championship with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.
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