SUPERIOR, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is essentially a two-horse race with regard to the conference regular season championship. UW-Eau Claire and UW-River Falls will be the top two seeds in the tournament, meaning the battle right now is to earn the No. 3 seed and avoid the conference tournament's opening round game.
 
Coming into the weekend, the Yellowjacket women's hockey team and UW-Stevens Point were the two teams in the fight for the third seed. The Yellowjackets took the upper hand on the weekend, winning Friday afternoon 4-2 over the Pointers, and in the process evening their record against Stevens Point for the year.
 
Saturday, the Yellowjackets and Pointers, potentially with the third seed on the line, took to the ice for the second game of their weekend series. The Yellowjackets were looking to win their second straight game and keep the upper hand, while Stevens Point was hoping to get out of town with the win and put its own mark on that potential third seed.
 
Despite being outshot 14-6 in the first period, the Pointers scored twice in quick succession, building an insurmountable lead on the way to a 3-1 win over the Yellowjackets Saturday afternoon at Wessman Arena.
 
It was a tough loss for the Yellowjackets (7-11-1, 2-4-0 WIAC), who have two conference games remaining in the regular season. The Yellowjackets will host Northland at Wessman Arena Feb. 18-19.
 
For the second day in a row the Yellowjackets came out strong, but this time couldn't score early. The Pointers weathered the storm and then broke the ice when Dani Heitsman scored at 10:18 to make it a 1-0 game. Heitsman added a second goal, this time on the power play, and with 8:44 to play in the first Stevens Point was in front 2-0.
 
The Yellowjackets went shorthanded early in the second period and again the Pointers made them pay. Nicole Neuberger scored on the power play just four minutes into the second, increasing the Stevens Point lead to 3-0.
 
Stevens Point's shutout bid went by the wayside when the Yellowjackets broke through on a power play midway through the third period. Jenna Byfuglien (Roseau, Minn./Roseau) sniped an unassisted goal, her fifth of the year, with 7:57 to play in the third, cutting the Pointer lead to 3-1.
 
That would be the only power play of the game for the Yellowjackets, and unfortunately, the only goal. The 'Jackets continued to apply pressure after getting on the board, but the Pointers held off the 'Jackets and earned the win and the series split.
 
McKenzie Whalen (East Grand Forks, Minn./East Grand Forks) made her ninth straight start in goal for the Yellowjackets, and she finished the day with 21 saves on 24 shots. For the game the Yellowjackets outshot Stevens Point 27-24.
 
The Yellowjackets will play their third game in three days, and fourth game in five days when they host UW-Eau Claire Sunday. The