EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — UW-Eau Claire defeated Macalester 1-0 on Wednesday at Simpson Field. Protecting a 1-0 lead, the Blugolds faced five Scots attacking actions from 80:30 to 88:39 without conceding. UW-Eau Claire scored in the first half and finished with 10 shots, while goalkeeper
Payton Douglas made five saves to complete the shutout.
Owen Backus put UWEC in front in the 26th minute, finishing at 25:18 with assists from
Ramzi Ouro and
Sean Redmond to open the scoring at 1-0. Earlier, the Blugolds created early attacking chances with
Noah Malcook sending a shot left in the seventh minute, a corner seconds later, and later attempts from Ouro and
Kyron Pope, whose shot hit the top woodwork at 21:22. Douglas saved the Scots' shot in the ninth minute, and UW-Eau Claire also had to manage four first-half offside calls. After Backus' goal, the half grew more physical while the Scots earned two corners, but the Blugolds added an
Alek Laroi shot in the 34th minute and took the 1-0 lead into halftime.
UWEC completed a scoreless second half to close out a 1-0 win, with Douglas making saves at 87:37 and 88:39 after the Scots generated multiple late shots. Earlier, the Blugolds earned a corner at 53:18, Douglas stopped a Scots shot less than a minute later, and the home side continued the stretch with an Ouro shot high, a
Tate McDermott attempt off the right woodwork and two more corners at 59:04.
Luis Marquez Sedano added a shot high in the 67th minute, and UW-Eau Claire worked through a physical middle portion of the half before earning consecutive corners at 77:16 and 78:12. Ouro later put a shot on frame that Justin Ratner saved at 84:36, while the Blugolds kept the scoreboard at 1-0 through the final whistle.
Backus scored the game-winning goal on his only shot, putting the attempt on goal. Douglas recorded five saves over 90 minutes and finished with a shutout. Ouro tallied an assist and led UWEC with four shots, including one on goal. Redmond added an assist.
The Blugolds advance to 4-0-1 overall while the Scots fall to 1-1-3 overall.
Up next, the Blugolds face Colorado College on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m. at Schneider Stadium in Waukesha, Wis.
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