EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team found success with its attack all afternoon in a 6-1 victory over UW-Stevens Point on Saturday at Hobbs Ice Arena. The Blugolds scored twice in the second period and three times in the third to pull away from the Pointers.
Hallie Sheridan (Sr. - Fergus Falls, Minn.) led the charge with a pair of goals, and Sophie Rausch (Sr. - Fergus Falls, Minn.) added a goal and three assists. In all, five different Blugolds found the back of the net.
UW-Eau Claire struck first in the late stages of the first period. The Blugolds broke free on a three-on-one counter attack, and passes from Sami Scherling (Sr. - Rogers, Minn.) and Rausch found Sheridan for a backdoor tap-in for the game's first goal. It came with 3:35 left until the first intermission.
Ava Bullert (Fr. - North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View) doubled UW-Eau Claire's lead early in the second period. The Blugolds won a faceoff in the offensive zone, and after their first shot was stopped, Bullert tapped in the puck off the rebound. Samantha Bandholz (So. - Richfield, Wis./Slinger) was credited with an assist. Sheridan got her second goal of the day off a power play a few minutes later, striking with 14:51 left in the second period. A rebound spilled loose in front of the Pointers' net, and Sheridan capitalized by slotting it home through a bunch-up around the goal. It was assisted by Rausch and Emily Hart (Sr. - Red Wing, Minn.). UW-Stevens Point got on the board with a goal in the final minute and a half of the second period.
Rausch scored the Blugolds' fourth goal in the first two minutes of the third period. She skated in from the blue line, moved around two defenders and finished with a backhand to light the lamp. Keira Bolt (Fr. - Boise, Idaho) and Jordyn McAlpine (Sr. - Stillwater, Minn./Mahtomedi) had the assists. Sydney Johnson (Jr. - Apple Valley, Minn.) added a short-handed goal for the Blugolds with 14:55 left to play. A Pointers turnover in the neutral zone turned into a two-on-one, and Johnson capitalized on a give-and-go. Sadie Long (So. - Farmington, Minn.) and Rausch assisted. Bandholz closed out the scoring after 11:47 had elapsed in the final period. She made a move around the goalie and hit the back of the net, assisted by Quinn Hartmetz (So. - Phoenixville, Pa. - Gilmour Academy).
Stephanie Martin (Sr. - Yorktown, Pa./Tabb) made five saves in net to earn her 13th victory of the season.
The Blugolds (14-3-1, 6-1) are back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 24. They hit the road to visit St. Scholastica, with game time scheduled for 6 p.m. in Duluth, Minn.
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