EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire soccer team scored early and never looked back in a 1-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh in the first round of the 2010 WIAC Tournament at the Bollinger Fields today.

The third-seeded Blugolds will now face No. 2-seed UW-Whitewater in a semifinal match. Action will get underway at 7 p.m. Thursday in Whitewater. Eau Claire is 3-0 all-time against the Warhawks in WIAC postseason play but most recently lost 3-2 to Whitewater in double overtime on Oct. 23, 2010.

The Blugolds came out strong in today's contest and scored at 1:41. Rachel Nerison (Jr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) took a pass from Gina Williams (So.-Madison, Wis./Verona) and put the ball into the net. The goal was Nerison's eighth of the year and her fifth game-winner, which is the best in the WIAC.

The Blugolds finished the game outshooting the Titans 10-5 despite only outshooting the Titans 4-3 in the second half.

Blugold goalkeeper Amanda Hakala (So.-Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) picked up three saves while playing the entire contest.

Eau Claire improves to 13-6-1 on the season while the Titans end their year with a 9-8-1 mark. Earlier this season the Blugolds also beat the Titans 1-0 at the Bollinger Fields. The Blugolds, who last met with the Titans in the first round of the WIAC Tournament in 2008 and came away with a 4-0 victory, improve to 23-3-2 against Oshkosh all-time.