EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) — After back-to-back overtime thrillers, the UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team left little doubt about the outcome of its match Wednesday with Luther College (Iowa). The Blugolds scored five unanswered goals in a 5-1 victory at Bollinger Field to earn their third straight win.
The Norse struck first just three minutes into the game on a header off of a corner kick. The score stayed that way until the 24th minute, when the Blugolds tied it up.
At 23:08, Allie Stone (Jr.-Madison, Wis./Verona Area) had a header blocked off a corner kick by Sam Gilbert (Sr.-Maplewood, Min./North St. Paul), but Gina Williams (Sr.-Madison, Wis./Verona Area) was there to put home the loose ball for her sixth goal of the year.
From there, it was all Blugolds. Exactly six minutes later, the Blugolds got a gift on a corner kick by Gilbert. One of the Norse players knocked the ball in their own goal for a 2-1 UW-Eau Claire lead. Gilbert was given credit for the goal, her first of the season.
At 64:43, Emily Moore (Sr.-Brookfield/Brookfield Central) had a free kick that Stone was able to get to, but couldn't quite put away. Katie Richter (Sr.-Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) was there to put away the loose ball for her first goal of the season and a 3-1 UW-Eau Claire lead.
Thirty-six seconds later, it was Richter again who scored on a beautiful shot that beat the Luther goalkeeper high, for her second goal of the game on an assist from Teighlor Tvedt (So.-Verona, Wis./Verona Area).
Williams scored her second goal of the game at 67:08 on an assist from Moore to finish off the Norse. The fifth goal capped off a 2:25 span that saw the Blugolds score three goals, two by Richter and one by Williams.
Nina Behrenbrinker (Jr.-St. Paul, Minn/Cretin-Derham Hall) made four saves on five shots to pick up her fourth win of the season in goal for the Blugolds. Amanda Hakala (Sr.-Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area) played the final 17:24 in goal and made two saves in her second appearance of the season.
The Blugolds will go for their fourth-straight win Saturday as they host UW-Oshkosh at 2 p.m. at Bollinger Field. It is Homecoming weekend at UW-Eau Claire and it will also be Parent's Weekend.
