INDIANOLA, Iowa — UW-Eau Claire played Simpson to a 0-0 tie Saturday at Bill Buxton Stadium. The Blugolds kept the match scoreless through a second-half stretch from 74:04 to 81:11 in which the Storm generated four attacking actions. The Storm finished with a 12-9 edge in shots and a 5-2 advantage in shots on goal, while the Blugolds' goalkeeper made five saves for the shutout.
UWEC generated the larger share of chances in the first half, putting together seven shots and two corner kicks while the teams went into halftime without a goal.
Olivia Lukrafka Varassin recorded the first Blugolds shot in the 12th minute, and
Bella Jones kept the Storm off the board with a save on Pepper Earle's attempt in the 15th. UWEC's most concentrated stretch came from 17:51 to 21:08, when
Johanna Thompson,
Emma Donovan and Lukrafka Varassin all attempted shots, with Lukrafka Varassin's effort saved by Meredith Downs after a corner kick.
Jayda Swopes,
Ellie Moilanen and
Megan Dwyer added shots later in the half, but the Blugolds could not break through before the scoreless first half ended.
The Blugolds kept the Storm off the board throughout the second half, with Jones making four saves as the match finished in a 0-0 draw. Early in the half, UW-Eau Claire absorbed a Storm stretch that included four corner kicks from 46:02 to 48:01, a Jones save, and another shot that went high. After a physical middle stretch, the Blugolds pushed forward in the 71st minute as
Brynn Lauters had a shot saved, Dwyer followed with an attempt wide left, and the visitors earned two corner kicks by the 77th minute. The Storm created another late push, but Jones stopped shots in the 75th and 80th minutes, and UWEC got through the final minutes without conceding.
Jones made five saves over 90 minutes and finished with a shutout. Dwyer recorded a team-high two shots. Lukrafka Varassin matched the team high with two shots, including one on goal.
The Blugolds are 3-2-1 overall while the Storm are 3-2-2 overall.
Up next, UWEC travels to St. Paul, Minn., to face Macalester College on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at
Blugolds.com or on our app,
Blugold Sports, and on social media on
Twitter,
Instagram,
Facebook, and
TikTok.
