In the final two games of its inaugural season, the women’s hockey team went out on a good note with a split-series last weekend.

On Friday, the Blugolds won the first of their two games against Lake Forest College (Ill.), 5-4. They lost their season finale, 3-1, the next night.

“We weren’t quite as lucky on Saturday,” Collins said. “We just didn’t get as many lucky breaks.”

Although Eau Claire posted seven shots and Lake Forest posted 18, the first period remained scoreless.

In the second period, Lake Forest scored twice.

Keiffer posted an unassisted goal to bring the Blugolds within one goal of tying, but in the third period, Lake Forest scored the final goal of the game to clinch the win.

The game marked the close of the women’s varsity hockey’s inaugural season.

Sophomore Connie Cameron said the team expected to win heading into the weekend series.

“We lost to them earlier in the year, but we’ve improved a lot so we were pretty confident,” Cameron said.

Friday’s win was the Blugolds’ first in 13 games.

“We played really well on Friday,” coach Mike Collins said. “We really came out and took the game.”

Freshman Sarah Zollars opened scoring for the Blugolds only 58 seconds into the first period. Freshmen Lindsay Siesennop and Sara Keiffer assisted Zollars.

Lake Forest answered shortly after to tie the game.

Junior Michelle Coughlin took the lead again for Eau Claire. But Lake Forest answered again with another goal.

Coughlin scored the final goal of the first period to give the Blugolds a 3-1 lead going into the second period.

In the second, the ‘Golds scored the only two goals. Siesennop scored at just 0:49 into the period and Zollars scored to close the second period.

In the third period, Lake Forest scored two goals, but they couldn’t score enough to steal the win from Eau Claire.

Junior goaltender Carol Bochanyin saved 34 shots for the Blugolds while winning the battle of the goalies.

“(Lake Forest’s) goalie is one of the better goalies in our league,” Cameron said. “We scored some really good shots on them.”

“We had a great first year for just establishing a program,” Collins said. “Our players’ improvement and their skill has been great.”

“Our main goal for the season was to improve and we met that goal.”