EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's lacrosse team had its home finale and senior night on Wednesday at Simpson Field. The Blugolds fell to UW-La Crosse 16-7 despite a fourth-quarter push.
The Eagles got out to a fast start. After Reegan Werner (Fr. - Farmington, Minn.) scored an early equalizer to tie the score at 1-1 in the first four minutes, UW-La Crosse scored six straight goals. The spurt stretched across the end of the first period and the beginning of the second. They scored three times in the final four minutes of the first quarter and twice in the first two minutes of the second. It built a 6-1 advantage.
Werner scored again at the 11:20 mark to trim the deficit to four. However, the Eagles scored three more times before halftime to take a 9-2 lead into the break.
Werner struck again with 13 minutes to go in the third quarter to make it a 9-3 game. UW-La Crosse answered with two more goals to carry an 11-3 lead into the final period.
The Blugolds began to chisel away at the lead early in the fourth. Devon Crews (Fr. - St. Louis, Mo./Rockwood Summit) scored on a free position shot and Alexie Romanelli (So. - Naperville, Ill./Central) did the same less than a minute later. The Eagles got a goal back to make it a 12-5 game with 11 and a half minutes to go. Romanelli and Werner scored again to pull UW-Eau Claire within five with eight minutes left, but the Eagles fended off the rally by scoring the final four goals of the game.
Werner finished with four goals to lead UW-Eau Claire and Romanelli tallied two. Lily Zygowicz (Fr. - Lafayette, Colo./Centaurus) had the lone assist for the Blugolds. Alexandria Shea (So. - Kenosha, Wis./Indian Trail) made 12 saves in net.
UW-Eau Claire has two games left on its schedule. The Blugolds travel to face Concordia Chicago on Saturday, April 29, at 2 p.m. for their penultimate contest.
Follow the Blugolds all season long at Blugold Game Day or on our app, UWEC Blugolds.
