EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – After falling in the opening game of its Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference semifinal series Wednesday, the Yellowjackets had to win not once, but twice Friday, in order to save their season and advance to next week's WIAC championship series.
 
It's a big task under the best of circumstances, but it's a task that becomes even more difficult when you are taking on the No. 1 seed in the conference.
 
That was the case for the Yellowjackets, who needed to defeat UW-Eau Claire in the first game Friday, then in a mini-game for the right to play more games next week. Unfortunately, the Blugolds had no intention of allowing things to get to a mini-game.
 
Eau Claire came out firing on all cylinders Friday, scoring three times in the first period on the way to an 8-2 win over the Yellowjackets, sweeping the two-game series at the Hobbs Ice Center.
 
Emma Peterson gave the Blugolds a 1-0 lead at 7:46 of the first, but the Yellowjackets answered when Jenna Byfuglien (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) scored her second goal of the year, and second of the playoffs, at 10:09 on the power play, tying the game 1-1.
 
It didn't stay that way long, as the Blugolds regained the lead less than a minute later, at 11:03 on a Dehli Heikes goal. They made it 3-1 when Taylar Meier scored unassisted at 13:53 of the first.
 
That spelled the end of the day for Yellowjacket goaltender McKenzie Whalen (East Grand Forks, Minn./East Grand Forks). Whalen allowed three goals on eight shots and was replaced in goal by Rose Beeman (Minneapolis, Minn./Benilde-St. Margaret's School).
 
Eau Claire didn't waste any time extending its lead, scoring just 15 seconds into the second period to make it a 4-1 game. They would score twice more to open up a 6-1 lead before the Yellowjackets stopped the bleeding. With four minutes to go in the middle frame Hannah Magnusson (Thief River Falls, Minn./Lincoln) scored her third of the season to make it 6-2.
 
The Blugolds would close out the scoring with a pair of goals in the third period, one at 10:21 and another at 15:14 to make the final score 8-2.
 
Shots on goal in the game favored Eau Claire 30-14. After coming on in relief, Beeman finished the day with 17 saves.
 
The Yellowjackets close out their season with a 4-6-0 record.