UW-Eau Claire women’s soccer team has shown substantial growth throughout their 2016 season.

From losing their first game against Saint Benedict in early September with a 2-1 loss, to being ranked second highest in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), it’s clear that the team has progressed.

“Once the conference started it felt like our season really took off,” said Hannah Jacobson, defensive player and sophomore at Eau Claire.  “We worked really hard on all the things we said we had to work on and have gotten better as a whole.”

Eau Claire’s record for the 2016 WIAC conference stands at 3-2-1 with a point total of 10.  Although they are trailing behind the current first place ranking team, UW-Whitewater, whose standing is 6-0 with a point total of 18, they are still holding onto that second place rank.

“We play stout on Saturday and that is a big game for us,” Jacobson said. “It decides where we sit in conference.”

Eva Charlesworth-Seiler, defensive player and sophomore at Eau Claire, had the same optimistic idea about the upcoming game.

“It’s been a good season with a tough loss on Saturday but we have a big game coming up this Saturday that could help us a ton,” Charlesworth-Seiler said.  “The WIAC is very strong all around, but I think we have competed hard against every team.”

Of the leading team, Whitewater has yet to lose a game in the conference and Jacobson guessed that “they will most likely be in first place.”

Although first place seems to be out of the picture, Eau Claire has a fighting chance for second.

“Eau Claire can place second this year if we win (the next game) and La Crosse loses,” Jacobson said. “But if we lose and other teams win then the worst we could do in the conference is fifth.”

With their options ranging from second to consolation, the team is in good spirits as they go into their final game of the regular season.

“I’m proud of the girls on this team and can’t wait to see what we can do during playoffs,” Charlesworth-Seiler said.

The Eau Claire women’s soccer team will be wrapping up their season with a game against UW-Stout at 2 p.m. Oct. 29 at Bollinger fields.