The UW-Eau Claire women’s “hardworking” hockey team nailed down a win against UW-Stevens Point last Saturday at Hobbs Ice Arena with a final score of 4-3.

According to head coach Erik Strand, the team has done well in all their practices and has been “ready for every opponent . . . it was no different going into this game.”

The Blugolds, winning the initial face-off in the first period, broke out with the first score early in the game by Mariah Czech, a senior, assisted by another senior Jaedyn Walz at 5:09.

UW-Stevens Point caught up with a point scored by Shannon Motzko later in the first period at 11:36. Ali Biagini scored a tie-breaking goal on a power play for Stevens Point just minutes later at the 17:43 mark.

With Stevens Point in the lead, junior Holly Turnbull broke through for the Blugolds with an unassisted goal at the 3:54 mark to kick off the second period, tying the game.

“All three periods we played really well. I was really excited about how our team really stuck with it and never backed down,” said Strand when asked about the team’s performance throughout the night.

The Blugolds tallied 13 more shots before the end of the second period. Turnbull took the last shot before the buzzer but was blocked by Lauren Smith.

The game rolled into the last period with Stevens Point ahead after Alex Grubbs made a goal at 10:58 in the second period.

Eau Claire claimed the upper hand in the initial face-off again in the third period. The game was tied once more with a goal from second-year Elizabeth Bauer on a power play at 3:23 with an assist by Courtney Wittig, junior.

But Eau Claire wasn’t looking to lay low and broke the tie with a goal by Holly Turnbull, her second goal of the night off assists by Sami Meister, second-year, and again by Wittig at the 18:49 mark.

“Breaking a tie is always an exciting thing,” said Turnbill.

The night ended with a victory held by the Blugolds with Turnbull’s point winning the game.

The Blugolds earned the win along with getting more shots on goal (50-25) and winning 47 of the 73 face-offs.

This win brings UW-Eau Claire’s standings to third in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with an overall season record of 12-6-3, according to blugolds.com.

“As a staff member, I’m very happy with them right now. Our team continued to respond and found a way to win, I’m very encouraged by that,” said head coach Erik Strand.

The Blugold women will be facing the Pointers twice more this season with one more home game and the last one away. Their next face-off will be at 7 p.m., Friday at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Strand called this win “a confidence builder” for the girls as they head into the next two games against the same opponent.

In response to getting ready this weekend, Turnbull said, “We’re not overlooking them by any means… we’re gonna be more ready for them right out of the shoot.”