UW-Eau Claire Women’s Ice Hockey defeated Beloit College 5-0 in both of their games this weekend at Hobbs Ice Arena in Eau Claire.
The victories brought the Blugolds’ record to 18-6-0 overall and 10-1-0 in conference play, with the Beloit Buccaneers standing at 2-21-0 overall and 0-10-0 in conference play.
The two-game series began at 7 p.m. Friday, with third-year forward Madisyn Krumholz scoring the opening goal in the first period.
The Blugolds stayed on the offensive and scored three more goals during the second period. The goals were scored by fourth-year forward Sam Moehle at 11:54, third-year forward Kenzie Keller at 12:20 and second-year forward Lauren Ballinger at 9:28. Krumholz scored the final goal of the game in the third period.
Head Coach Jarrad Vroman said the win felt good, but that he was not sure it reflected the team’s best efforts from start to finish.
“There are hills and valleys in every season,” Vroman said. “It’s not always going to be A+ hockey every night, but the important thing is that you can find yourself and pull yourself out of it.”
The players said they could feel themselves working as a team as they pulled themselves up during the second and third periods.
“I think we really started to work together towards the end, and it really showed,” Moehle said. “We’ve had a tough schedule this season, but we’ve done the best we can do, and it’s shown on our record. Hopefully we can just keep it going.”
Vroman said the team pulled themselves up in the second period of the game.
“During that first 10 minutes of the second (period), I think we came out with a little bit more jump,” Vroman said. “Our power play did the job, which is awesome to see. Specialties are so important at the end of the year.”
During Friday’s game, volunteers and players raised money and awareness for Sophie’s Squad, a mental health-focused nonprofit group.
Blugold hockey player and fourth-year student Ava Bullert, an ambassador for Sophie’s Squad, said the group started after a student in Minnesota lost her life, and that the nonprofit has grown in the Hockey world and expanded to other sports across the region.
“It’s just a great night to be able to raise money for Sophie’s Squad and give that money back,” Bullert said.
The Blugolds maintained their pressure on Beloit during Saturday’s game, finishing the first period in the lead at 1-0 with a goal scored early on by third-year McKenna Sandberg.
Third-year forward Ava Johansson and Keller each scored goals during the second period. The Blugolds secured the win with two more goals in the third period, which were scored by Krumholz and second-year forward Adrienne Hansen.
Vroman said as the team nears the end of the season, he thinks the goals they have are still attainable.
“You win different games in different ways,” Vroman said. “You’re not going to win the same way that you will, you know, Friday to Saturday or whatever it is in one week to the next.”
Wojahn can be reached at [email protected].
