ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — UW-Eau Claire lost their season opener to Saint Benedict 3-1 on Tuesday at College Avenue Field. The Blugolds generated a second-half push from 55:45 to 64:53 with six shots and two corners, but the sequence did not change a 2-0 scoreline. For the match, UW-Eau Claire finished with a 23-17 shot advantage, including 16 shots after halftime, and put 10 shots on goal while its goalkeeper made six saves.
The Blugolds fell behind in the second minute when Saint Benedict scored at 1:50, then absorbed a sustained stretch of pressure while keeping the deficit at 1-0 through the 19th minute.
Bella Jones made saves on Eva Gower in the ninth minute and Tatum Janezich in the 14th and 18th, and Saint Benedict also put a shot off the top woodwork at 19:11. UWEC created responses during that stretch, including attempts by
Caroline Curran,
Johanna Thompson and
Lisette Thurman, with Thompson putting a shot on goal in the 15th minute. Saint Benedict added a second goal at 29:09, but the Blugolds pushed again late as
Ellie Moilanen,
Maria Alice Jannuzzi and
Megan Dwyer each had shots before halftime, with Dwyer's effort saved in the 43rd minute. The first half ended with UW-Eau Claire trailing Saint Benedict 2-0.
The Blugolds' second-half breakthrough came soon after Saint Benedict scored at 69:29 to make it 3-0, as
Emma Donovan finished a
Jayda Swopes assist at 71:07 to cut the deficit to 3-1. Earlier, UWEC generated a steady run of chances, including saved shots by
Olivia Lukrafka Varassin,
Brooklyn Osby,
Magnolia Millar Bruzek and Thompson before two corners and attempts by Swopes and Donovan between 63:54 and 64:53. Jones kept the Blugolds within range with saves on Saint Benedict shots at 54:01, 60:17 and 74:47, including one shortly after a Saint Benedict corner. UW-Eau Claire kept pushing after Donovan's goal with shots from Moilanen,
Bella Felegy, Lukrafka Varassin and
Anna Lorenzana, but Saint Benedict held on for a 3-1 final.
Donovan scored the Blugolds' goal and finished with three shots. Swopes recorded an assist and added one shot. Thompson shared the team lead with four shots, putting two on goal. Jones recorded six saves over 90 minutes, making three in each half.
UW-Eau Claire falls to 0-1 while Saint Benedict moves to 1-0 in 2026.
Up next, the Blugolds travel to Moorhead, Minn., to face Concordia College (Minn.) on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Jake Christiansen Stadium.
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