EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team was back at home for the first time in the new year as they returned to Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) play on Friday evening. The Blugolds faced off against the UW-Superior Yellowjackets for the first game of the weekend series. With nine different Blugolds recording a point during the contest, UWEC was victorious over UWS, 3-1.
The home squad didn't take long to find the game's first goal as Eden Gruber (Jr. – Wausau, Wis./West) slotted home her sixth goal of the season after she received a behind the back pass from Sadie Long (So. – Farmington, Minn.) right in front of the crease to give Eau Claire the lead. Hallie Sheridan (Sr. – Fergus Falls, Minn.) earned the secondary assist on the opening Blugold tally. UWEC gathered four of their eight total powerplay minutes in the first frame but couldn't find the back of the net as they outshot Superior, 4-2.
The middle frame held a momentum tilt in favor of Eau Claire as their offensive pressure increased. UWEC outshot Superior 14-3 during the second period. Samantha Bandholz (So. – Richfield, Wis./Slinger) extended the lead to 2-0 on a wrist shot from the slot with 12:44 left in the frame. Ava Bullert (Fr. – North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) and Keira Bolt (Fr. – Boise, Idaho) received assists on Bandholz's second goal of the season. The Yellowjackets brought the Eau Claire lead back down to just one goal with 51 seconds left in the period on a breakaway goal to send the Blugolds into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.
In the third period, Eau Claire once again dominated with possession and outshot their opponents. With multiple scoring opportunities from the beginning, Emily Hart (Sr. – Red Wing, Minn.) found the final goal of the evening on a loose puck rebound out front to make it 3-1. Assists were credited to Hattie Verstegen (Jr. – Oshkosh, Wis./North) and Sydney Johnson (Jr. – Apple Valley, Minn.) as the 3-1 scoreline would last until the final buzzer, giving UWEC their 12th win of the season.
Stephanie Martin (Sr. – Yorktown, Va./Tabb) stopped eight of the nine shots she faced to earn her 11th win of the season. Martin improves her record to 11-2-0 with her 35th victory in a Blugold jersey.
The Blugolds (12-3-0, WIAC 4-0) will conclude their weekend series with the Yellowjackets on Saturday, January 14th up at Wessman Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7PM.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
