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Issued: October 26, 2006

SOCCER TEAM LOOKS TO MAKE SCHOOL HISTORY IN FINAL GAME

EAU CLAIRE – The 21st ranked UW-Eau Claire soccer team has already taken its second consecutive regular season conference title this season, but it looks to break the school record for wins in a season this Saturday when it faces fellow regular season conference champion St. Scholastica on Senior Day.

Eau Claire is 17-2-0 this season. The latest win against St. Thomas by a 3-0 score tied the school record of 17, set in 2002 during a 17-4-1 campaign. It also tied the school record for shutout wins in a single season at 12. The 1998 team had previously put together 12 shutout victories in a season. A shutout win on the final regular season game this Saturday would set new school records in both marks at the same time.

The Blugolds clinched outright possession of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) crown this past Saturday when it defeated UW-River Falls 3-0. The second conference title in Eau Claire history will give the Blugolds homefield advantage for the WIAC Quarterfinal on October 31st. The Blugolds have excelled at home, going 7-1-0. At one point the team was working on a home winning streak that stretched back to last season. It ended at 15 games in a 1-0 loss to St. Olaf.

In 19 games and 1,729:18, the Blugold defense has allowed eight goals on 96 shots. Eau Claire has 47 goals and 312 shots of its own. The team leads the WIAC in points (141), goals, assists (47), assists per game (2.47), goals allowed, goals against average (0.42), and shutouts.

Maria Iaizzo (Sr.-White Bear Lake, MN) has led the offensive attack. She leads all Blugolds in points (35), goals (13), game-winning goals (6), assists (9), and shots (63). She is in the top five for every major offensive category in the conference. Amy Smith (So.-Bloominton, MN/Jefferson) with 10 goals, six assists, and 26 points, Emily Meisinger (Sr.-Green Bay/Notre Dame Academy) with seven goals, four assists, and 18 points, Liz Kooistra (So.-Lakeville, MN) with five goals, five assists, and 10 points, and Jessica Millard (So.-Madison/La Follette) with one goal, five assists and seven points also cracked the top 10 for the conference in various offensive categories.

Goalies Allie Rivard (So.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) and Liz Weirick (Jr.-Kenosha/Tremper) have been splitting time in the net all season. Rivard boasts a conference best 0.10 goals against average and Weirick is third in that category with 0.74. Both have 26 saves, good for 10th. They rank in the top 10 in the WIAC for most defensive statistics.

The upcoming opponent, St. Scholastica, holds a 17-1-1 record and has claimed the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) season title. It has allowed only six goals and 121 shots while putting in 70 itself on 586 shots. It is in the top two team-wise for the UMAC in almost every offensive and defensive category.

Robin Johnson leads the Saints with 45 points on 19 goals and seven assists. She sits at the top of nearly every conference statistic with her numbers. Keely Raab is next on the points list at 22 on eight goals and six assists.

Against teams both squads have faced, St. Scholastica beat UW-Stout 3-1 and Augsburg College 2-1 in double overtime. It tied River Falls 0-0 on the first Saint game of the year. The Blugolds beat Stout and River Falls 3-0 each and won 2-0 over Augsburg. Eau Claire holds the all-time record versus the Saints by a 3-1 margin.

The battle between the two regular season conference champions and the attempt at Eau Claire history starts at 2:00 p.m. this Saturday at Bollinger Fields.

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