SAINT PAUL, Minn. (blugolds.com) – The No. 10 ranked University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team was back on the road Tuesday as they faced a familiar foe in Hamline University. After defeating the Hamline Pipers 4-2 just a week prior, Sophie Rausch (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) tallied her first hat trick as a Blugold with one goal in each period as UW-Eau Claire defeated Hamline, 4-1.

Box Score

Sophie Rausch started led the Blugold offense all night as she accounted for a game high seven shots on goal and kept the Pipers busy in their own defensive zone. With under five minutes to go in the first period, Rausch netted her first goal on the night off an assist from Hallie Sheridan (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.). Less than a minute later, Eden Gruber (Jr. – Wausau, Wis./West) extended the Blugold lead to 2-0 as Hattie Verstegen (Jr. – Oshkosh, Wis./North) earned the lone assist.

The second period was dominated by UW-Eau Claire as they outshot Hamline 16-5. Sophie Rausch capitalized on the lone powerplay of the evening for the Blugolds halfway through the middle frame. Rausch's second goal of the night pushed the UWEC lead to 3-0 as Verstegen and Emily Hart (Sr. – Red Wing, Minn.) received assists on the special team's tally.

Hamline found their only answer of the night early in the third period, but Rausch completed her first hat trick of the season three minutes later for the final goal of the night. Rauch's three goal evening puts her atop the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) for goals scored with 13. Hallie Sheridan moved into second place in the WIAC for assists with her 7^th of the year.

Stephanie Martin (Sr. – Yorktown, Va./Tabb) stopped nine of the ten shots she faced to improve to 8-1-0 on the year.

The Blugolds (8-2, WIAC 3-1) will return home for a weekend series against Concordia-Moorhead on Friday, December 9^th and Saturday, December 10^th. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7PM as the Blugolds host their annual Youth Night.

Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.