EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) – The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's soccer hosted the program's first ever home game on Tuesday night. The Blugolds hosted Northland college as they looked for their fourth win of the season. After a big first half and some brilliant assists in the second, UWEC cruised past the Lumberjacks, 6-1 and improve their record to 4-1-0.
Will Heinen (Fr. – Champlin, MN/Champlin Park) started the scoring in the first half at the 20-minute mark on a cross pass from Carter Theisfeld (Fr. – Forest Lake, MN). Theisfeld's ball found Heinen on the back post and the Champlin native slotted the ball into the bottom right corner for his second on the year.
The Blugolds poured the pressure on scoring just three minutes later. Evan Wilson (Fr. – Apple Valley, MN/Eastview) would find himself a free kick right outside the 18-yard box after a Northland foul. After taking some time to analyze the setup, Wilson curled the ball over the defending wall and under the crossbar for the 2-0 lead.
The visitors still had some fight in them scoring just minutes later to make it a 2-1 game. Spencer Banks (Fr. – Stevens Point, WI/SPASH) saved one of the two shots he shot and earned his third win of the season. Banks now sits at 3-1-1.
Wilson wasn't done after just the first goal. After an Eau Claire corner kick pinballed around inside the box, Wilson found the ball at the top, and blasted home his second of the night. His two goals put him at a total of _ for the season. UWEC would enter halftime with the 3-1 lead.
The second frame of action was very one-sided after back-to-back goals game in just the first six minutes. Theisfeld netted a goal of his own from the middle and assisted on the fifth to Nathan Donovan (Sr. – Hazel Green, WI/Wahlert Catholic) to earn a three-point night.
Donovan added the sixth and final goal on a breakaway to increase his team leading goal total to seven.
Jakob Leonard (Fr. – Cottage Grove, MN/Park) and Mark Belknap (Fr. – Anoka, MN) stop all the shots they faced in the second half to keep their save percentage's high on the season.
The Blugolds will be back on the road this weekend as they travel to Carroll (WI) on Friday and UW-Superior on Sunday. Game time for September 17th is at 5 PM and on September 19th is at 2PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
