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University of Wisconsin-Superior Athletics

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Wisconsin-Superior
Yellowjackets
Haley Olmstead
Jade Jensen

Women's Hockey

Eau Claire Edges Yellowjackets

Haley Olmstead scored twice for the Yellowjackets Saturday.
Box Score

Eau Claire 4, Yellowjackets 3

Saturday afternoon at Wessman Arena was "Senior Day" for the Yellowjacket women's hockey team. Four seniors who are nearing the end of their Yellowjacket careers were honored before the game. Unfortunately, by the time the game was over few felt like celebrating.

After a big win on the road Friday night over UW-Eau Claire, the Yellowjackets came out flat Saturday. They fell behind early but rallied in the third period, only to give up the game winner in the final minutes as the Blugolds earned the 4-3 win.

The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for the Yellowjackets.

Once the festivities of the day were completed the teams got down to business and it was the Blugolds who drew first blood. Just 4:33 into the game Paige Dale slipped a shot past Yellowjacket goaltender Kim Kobar (The Pas, Manitoba/Margaret Barbour Collegiate) to make it 1-0. The Blugolds would stretch the lead late in the first when Andi Husted scored an unassisted goal at 16:36 of the period.

Despite outshooting Eau Claire 12-8 in the first period, the Yellowjackets were down by a pair heading to the locker room.

At 8:48 of the second period the Blugolds made it 3-0 when Ashley Baugher's shot rode up the arm of Kobar and dropped in the net for the power play goal. After the third goal the Yellowjackets made a goaltending change, lifting Kobar in favor of Sky Brown (Lenore, Manitoba/Virden Collegiate Institute). Brown, a mid-season transfer from Castleton State University in Vermont, was making her first appearance as a Yellowjacket.

The goaltending change helped swing some momentum back in the Yellowjackets' favor, and before the period was out they got on the scoreboard. One of the seniors honored before the game, Haley Olmstead (Fargo, N.D./Fargo North), found the back of the net for her 11th goal of the year with just 17 seconds to play making it a 3-1 game after two periods.

As the third period unfolded the Yellowjackets began to exert their will on the Blugolds. Applying tremendous pressure the Yellowjackets took control of the play and started to cut into the deficit. Kiara De Kezel (Deloraine, Manitoba/Deloraine) made it a one-goal game, scoring her fourth goal of the weekend with a quick shot from the right circle at 4:59 of the third to make it 3-2.

The Yellowjackets came all the way back and tied the game at 12:36 of the third, converting on the power play. Amid a scramble near the Eau Claire goal, Olmstead found a loose puck and put it home for her second of the game and team-leading 12th of the year, tying the game 3-3.

The Yellowjackets continued to apply pressure and came close to netting the go-ahead goal, but Kim Van Brunt kept it a 3-3 game.

Late in the period, with just 1:07 remaining the Blugolds broke the tie.

A missed clearing attempt was held in the Yellowjacket zone, and Jaedyn Walz capitalized, putting the puck past Brown to make it 4-3.

In the final minute the Yellowjackets tried to again tie the game, but time ran out on them and they took the loss at home.

Van Brunt, who entered Friday's game in the final minute, replacing the injured Paige Turner was a star in goal for the Blugolds Saturday. She earned the win, finishing the game with 49 saves. For the Yellowjackets, Kobar made eight saves on 11 shots before turning the net over to Brown, who made six saves. The Yellowjackets outshot the Blugolds 52-18 for the game.

Each team took five penalties for 10 minutes, and each team went 1-for-3 on the power play.

The Yellowjackets (14-6-0, 4-4-0 WIAC) return to action Saturday, January 31 at Wessman Arena when they host UW-River Falls. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. The game will be the annual "Stick it to Cancer" game, with the Yellowjackets wearing special breast cancer themed jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game. All proceeds will go to breast cancer prevention and awareness in Superior and Douglas County.


 
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Players Mentioned

Kiara De Kezel

#18 Kiara De Kezel

F
5' 7"
Senior
Kim Kobar

#33 Kim Kobar

G
5' 6"
Sophomore
Haley Olmstead

#9 Haley Olmstead

F
5' 9"
Senior
Sky Brown

#35 Sky Brown

G
5' 4"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Kiara De Kezel

#18 Kiara De Kezel

5' 7"
Senior
F
Kim Kobar

#33 Kim Kobar

5' 6"
Sophomore
G
Haley Olmstead

#9 Haley Olmstead

5' 9"
Senior
F
Sky Brown

#35 Sky Brown

5' 4"
Freshman
G