Spectator file photo

The Eau Claire men’s club soccer team hoped to surprise the University of Minnesota for the second straight time, but came up just short.

Eau Claire (2-2) held host Minnesota scoreless in the first half, but couldn’t muster any offense of its own to overcome a 2-1 halftime deficit.

“We were under control in the second half, but we got a little excited in the first half,” coach Stan Williams said.

Junior Zach King scored Eau Claire’s lone goal, his first of the season.

It’s no surprise the team was very emotional early on.

Eau Claire handed Minnesota its only loss of the season last year.

Junior co-captain David Webb said before the game that there is plenty of bad blood between the two teams.

“We don’t like each other,” Webb said. “We think they’re always really cocky and they give us a really hard time, but they probably say the same thing about us.”

Eau Claire picked up its game Saturday when it blanked the University of Minnesota-Duluth 2-0.

The game was played at Duluth’s football stadium, which has an artificial playing surface, something Eau Claire isn’t used to.

“Ball control is totally different on turf,” senior co-captain Tim Schoonenberg said. “I thought we did a pretty good job adjusting, though.”

Webb and junior Matt Shupe scored the game’s two goals.

Schooenberg was impressed by the team’s ability to block out a raucous Duluth crowd.

“They have a huge fan base, but we did a nice job performing under pressure,” he said.

Eau Claire got some solid play from some of its newcomers who were put into the starting lineup to replace veterans.

Eau Claire opened its season the weekend of Sept. 14 and 15 with a victory over UW-Stevens Point and a loss to Michigan Tech.

The squad has advanced to the national tournament two straight seasons and returns 10 of 11 starters from last season.

The team looked a little rusty in its first few games, but is starting to hit its stride, Williams said.

“I think we were looking to build some chemistry (in the Minnesota game), and we did that,” he said.

Eau Claire tries to get back in the win column when it hosts St. Cloud State (Minn.) and Minnesota’s B squad Saturday and Sunday at Bollinger Fields.

Williams said Sunday’s game should be especially exciting because Minnesota’s B squad is almost as solid as its first squad.