Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's hockey team secured a 4-0 victory over UW-Stevens Point in the opening round of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament on Friday at Hobbs Ice Arena. This win marked the beginning of their postseason with a strong performance.

The Blugolds, holding an 18-8-0 record, scored consistently throughout the game. They netted one goal in both the first and second periods and sealed their triumph with two additional goals in the third period.

Quinn Hartmetz initiated scoring for the Blugolds with a goal late in the first period, assisted by McKenna Sandberg. Adrienne Hansen extended their lead early in the second period, aided by assists from Sam Moehle and Ava Bullert.

In the third period, Ava Johansson contributed to making it 3-0 for UW-Eau Claire. Hansen then secured her second goal during a power play to finalize the scoreline. Alexa Backmann was pivotal in defense, making 17 saves to achieve a shutout. The Blugolds outshot their opponents, who ended with a 12-13-1 record, by 32 to 17 shots.

The series continues with Game 2 scheduled for Saturday, March 1, at 7 p.m., where both teams will compete for a spot in the WIAC Championship.

For more updates on the Blugolds' season, fans can visit Blugolds.com or follow them on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.