Issued: February 12, 2003

WOMEN CLINCH WIAC WITH WIN OVER OSHKOSH

EAU CLAIRE - Kristi Channing (Sr-Fall Creek) scored her 1,000th career point and the Blugolds clinched the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title outright as the fourth ranked UW-Eau Claire women's basketball team won a hard fought battle over 16th ranked UW-Oshkosh 62-58 in the Blugolds' final home game of the season here tonight at W.L. Zorn Arena.

The win improves the Blugolds' record to 22-1 overall but more importantly gives them a 14-0 record in the WIAC and ensures them sole possession of first place. The Titans move to 18-4 on the season and 9-4 in conference action with the loss. Eau Claire has won the conference eight times since the 1990 season, with four of the conference titles coming outright. Eau Claire's three outright titles prior to this season came in 1990, 1993, and 2000. The Titans also own eight conference championships since the 1990 campaign, winning five outright. The Blugolds and Titans have shared the title on three occasions: 1992, 1995, and 1997.

As has been the case most of the season, the Blugolds used a strong rebounding performance to top their opponent. Eau Claire grabbed 37 rebounds to the Titans' 26 led by Brooke Wozniak (Jr-Stanley/Stanley-Boyd) who tore down 13 boards. Wozniak has now grabbed 10 or more rebounds in four of the Blugolds' last five games.

The first half started looking promising for Eau Claire as it jumped out to an early 6-0 lead. The Blugolds extended their lead to eight with 13:12 remaining in the first half and just when it looked as if Eau Claire was going to run with the game, the Titans responded with an 8-2 run of their own to pull within two. Oshkosh grabbed its first lead of the game with 6:02 remaining in the half and the two teams engaged in a dogfight the rest of the way with Eau Claire taking a one-point lead into the break.

The second half picked up where the first left off with both teams exchanging the lead on multiple occasions. The Titans used a 5-0 run midway through the half to turning a one point lead into a 45-39 advantage. It was the Blugolds' turn to keep the game at hand and they did just that by stifling the Titan offense. With just 7:23 remaining in the contest, the game was knotted up at 47. Each team threw in 10 points in the next four minutes and the scoreboard still showed even scores with 2:35 left to play. Becca Spaeth (Jr-Chippewa Falls/Chi-Hi) then hit a two-point shot to break the tie and put the Blugolds up for good. Eau Claire forced a key turnover in the final seconds and the Titans immediately fouled sending Janel Soppeland (Sr-Cadott) to the line with a chance to ice the game in the final home game of her Blugold career. Soppeland nailed her first shot to give the Blugolds a four point advantage and the victory.

Channing led all scorers with a game-best 22 points as she eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for her career. The Blugold forward also grabbed seven rebounds and hit 10-of-16 free throw attempts. Becca Spaeth added 12 points for the Blugolds while Soppeland swiped three steals away from the Titans.

Libby Seivert led Oshkosh with 14 points while Brenda Utech added 11. Melissa Schweitzer grabbed a team-best seven rebounds in the loss.

Eau Claire looks to continue its perfect conference season with a victory over UW-Whitewater on Saturday. The two teams face off in an afternoon battle with the tip coming at 3:00 in Whitewater.

Eau Claire-Oshkosh Box