Blugolds Make Early Goal Hold Up In WIAC Tournament

UW-Eau Claire produced a goal in the first two minutes of play and then held on for a 1-0 victory over UW-Oshkosh in an opening round match of the WIAC Women's Soccer Tournament held Tuesday (Nov. 2) in Eau Claire.

Rachel Nerison scored the Blugolds' winning goal off a pass from Gina Williams just 1:41 into the contest. The goal was Nerison's eighth of the season, including her WIAC-leading fifth game winner.

UW-Eau Claire, which also beat UW-Oshkosh by a 1-0 score on Sept. 18, finished the contest with 10 shots and six corner kicks. The Blugolds (13-6-1) were led by the three shots of Ali Mater and the two each of Nerison and Brittany Burant.

UW-Oshkosh (9-8-1), which suffered just its second loss in eight matches, totaled five shots and five corner kicks. Becca Blue (So. • Kimberly), Caitlin Casey (Sr. • Waukesha), Jennifer Nesbitt (Jr. • Sturgeon Bay), Nikki Reed (Jr. • Muskego) and Carly Roiniotis (So. • Pleasant Prairie) each launched one shot for the Titans.

Goalkeepers Amanda Hakala of UW-Eau Claire and Brittany Walder (Jr. • Waukesha) of UW-Oshkosh both saved three shots. The shutout was Hakala's sixth of the season.

The opening-round victory qualifies third-seeded UW-Eau Claire for a semifinal round contest at second-seeded UW-Whitewater (10-6) on Thursday (Nov. 4). UW-Whitewater and top-seeded UW-Stevens Point (14-2-1) both received a bye in the opening round of the six-team tournament.

Tuesday's other match featured fifth-seeded UW-Platteville (11-8-2) defeating fourth-seeded UW-River Falls (10-8-2) in a shootout. The teams played to a scoreless double-overtime tie before the Pioneers out-numbered the Falcons, 5-3, on penalty kicks. UW-Platteville advances to a semifinal round contest at UW-Stevens Point on Thursday.

The championship match is scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 6) at the site of the highest remaining seed. The winner of the WIAC Tournament receives the league's automatic bid to the 63-team NCAA Division III Championship.