EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team lost another back and forth battle with the College of St. Scholastica 4-3 Sunday afternoon at Hobbs Ice Center.
The battle picked up right where it left off the day before. Eau Claire came out right away scoring the first goal within the first minute by Toni Simones (Sr.-Rosemount, Minn./South St. Paul). The Blugolds barely had time to celebrate their goal when the Saints scored their first of the day less than a minute later to tie the game up 1-1.
The second period was quiet for both teams until Sam Knutson (Fr.-North St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul) made a wide open shot 40 feet out to the top corner of the net to tie the game up at 2-2. True to fashion the Saints followed it up right away and found the back of the net to regain their lead and pull ahead 3-2 at 13:06.
The Blugolds were not going to let the Saints maintain their lead and responded with a goal by Dani Kerr (Jr.-Little Canada, Minn./Roseville) from Stephanie Hatcher (So.-Burnsville, Minn./Lakeville North) to tie it back up at 3-3 at 12:24. As the game was winding down and everyone was preparing for overtime play, St. Scholastica's Michelle Fischer scored a heartbreaking goal in the last 22 seconds of the game to pull the Saints ahead and eventually be the game winning goal.
Goaltender Mara Stormer (Jr.-Waunakee, Wis./Waunakee) tallied 28 saves in her second loss of the season for the Blugolds. The Blugolds outshot the Saints 34-32 in their loss.
The Blugolds return to action next Friday as they travel to De Pere, WIs., to face St. Norbert College for a two day series. The opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m.
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