RIVER FALLS, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team battled back and forth with the No. 8 UW-River Falls Falcons to a last second 5-3 loss at Hunt Arena.
It was a back and forth match that started in the first period. Falcon forward Kait Mason scored the first goal of the night at 2:54 to put the Falcons up 1-0. Things would remain quiet the rest of the period.
Emily Haluska (Jr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) tied the game up in the second period at 12:06. Getting the assist on the goal was Casey McMullen (Jr. – Minneapolis, Minn./South) and Abbie Hawthorne (Jr.-Brookfield, Wis./Central).
The third period was an exciting one for both sides. Things started out tied up until 2:52 when Emily Larson (So.-Bemidji, Minn./Bemidji) pulled the Blugolds ahead 2-1. The Falcons came back at 5:50 to tie it and bring the score to 2-2. At 16:25, Nikki Kothenbeutel (So.-Sauk Rapids, Minn/Sauk Rapids-Rice) got called for checking and 33 seconds later the Falcons took advantage of the power play and scored another goal to take the 3-2 lead. The Blugolds were not just going to roll over and let the Falcons take the lead, they fought back and Mackenzie Miller (Fr. -Minnetonka, Minn/Hopkins) scored at 18:15 to tie it up 3-3. The Falcons did not let the Blugolds enjoy the tie long, as Emma Nordness scored 20 seconds later to put the Falcons up 4-3. Twenty seconds later Brook Story would put the final nail in the coffin as the Falcons would move ahead 5-3.
Morgan Pieper (Sr.-Williams, Minn./Warroad) had 29 saves on the night. Melissa Deardroff was strong in goal for the Falcons as she had 26 saves.
The Falcons and Blugolds will meet again tomorrow night at Hobbs Ice Center. Game action gets started at 7 p.m.
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