Issued: February 6, 2004

WOMEN'S HOCKEY FALLS TO SIXTH-RANKED STEVENS POINT

EAU CLAIRE - The UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team will have to wait until at least tomorrow night for its first ever victory against UW-Stevens Point as the Blugolds fell to the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association rival Pointers 9-0 here tonight at Hobbs Ice Arena.

The Blugolds fall to 7-11-2 for the season and 2-9-0 in conference play while the NCHA-leading Pointers improve to 14-4-4 overall and 9-2-1 in conference action.

The two teams battled to a scoreless tie for the first seven minutes of the game but Stevens Point broke the tie when Jackie Schmitt scored the eventual game-winning goal. The Pointers added three more goals in the first period to take a 4-0 lead at the first intermission.

Eau Claire was unable to bring itself back within striking distance and Ann Ninnemann tallied four goals for the Pointers in the Blugold loss. Schmitt added two goals and two assists and goalie Diane Sawyer earned the shutout, stopping 14 Eau Claire shots.

Eau Claire will take another shot at the conference leaders tomorrow when they host the Pointers for a 7:05 p.m. face off at Hobbs Ice Arena.

Stevens Point 9, Eau Claire 0

Scoring
1P: SP-Jackie Schmitt (Jackie Foley, Jen Norris), 12:58; SP-Ashley Howe (Pam Stohr), 12:31; SP-Ann Ninnemann (Kim Lunneberg), 12:06; SP-Hilary Burger (Tracy Truckey, Schmitt), 1:44.
2P: SP-Ninnemann (Liz Goergen), 19:46; SP-Foley (Schmitt), 2:04; SP-Ninnemann (Goergen), 1:17.
3P: SP-Ninnemann (Lunneberg, Foley), 16:03; SP-Schmitt (Truckey, Burger), 14:34.

Shots: EC 3-3-8-14, SP 12-9-16-37
Saves: EC 8-6-14-28; SP 3-3-8-14
Power Plays: EC 0 for 1, SP 0 for 1
Penalties: EC 2 for 4, SP 2 for 4
Records: EC 7-11-2 (2-9-0), SP 14-4-4 (9-2-1)