UW-Eau Claire Women's Hockey Set To Play Against Concordia For The First Time In Team History

  Print Story
  Download PDF

Posted: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - After hosting two home games last weekend, the Eau Claire women's hockey team will travel to Mequon this weekend to play Concordia University (Wis.) for the first time ever.

The Blugolds went 1-1 last weekend losing to St. Thomas University (Minn.) 3-1 and defeating St. Mary's University (Minn.) 4-0. After the weekend split, the Blugolds evened their record at 2-2 on the season.

Going into this weekend's series with Concordia University, the Blugolds have scored a total of nine goals while allowing six. Up to this point of the season, the Blugolds offensive effort has been well balanced as 11 players have tallied at least one point. Maddi Hammer (Fr.-Owatonna, MN) and Beth Dittrich (So.-Roseville, MN) lead the Blugold's balanced offensive attack with three points each. Hammer's three points consist of two goals and one assist, and Dittrich has recorded her three points with two assists and one goal. Following Hammer and Dittrich are six other skaters with two points each.

On special teams, the Blugolds have done exceptionally well. On the Penalty kill, the Blugolds have killed a phenomenal 20 of 21 opponent power plays. On the offensive end of special teams, the Blugolds have scored 4 goals on 17 power play opportunities. Three of the four power play goals the Blugolds have scored this year came in the third period of the St. Mary's game last Saturday.

The Blugolds have started two freshman goalies in the first four games. Danika Porter (Rosemount, MN/South St. Paul) started the first three games for the Blugolds this year. In those three games, Porter posted a goals against average of 1.68, a save percentage of .898, and a record of 1-2. Lindsay Savat (Fr.-Apple Valley, MN/Thomas Jefferson) started the most recent game against St. Mary's and earned her first career victory with a shutout. Savat is 1-0 on the season.

The Concordia University women's hockey team is playing in its inaugural season, and is composed of only freshmen. The young team is winless on the season with a record of 0-3-2. Concordia's most recent defeat came on Tuesday night when they were shellacked by Lake Forest 7-3. Before Tuesday's loss to Lake Forest, the Falcons had tied both Bethel University (Minn.) and St. Catherine's last weekend. While looking for their first win in program history the Falcons have been outscored 20-10.

April Forar is leading the Falcons in goal scoring in the team's first year of existence with 4 goals. Her four goals tie her for second in the Northern Colligate Hockey Association (NCHA). However, Forar does not even solely lead her team in total scoring as Amber Cmejila is tied with Forar with five points. Cmejila has four assists and one goal this year.

On special teams, the Falcons have given up six power play goals as they have killed 31 of the 37 skater advantages they have faced. On the power play, the Falcons have scored four goals on 33 opportunities. Two of the Falcons four power play goals came against Lake Forest on Tuesday.

In the first five games of the season, the Falcons had Brittany Staduenmaier start two games and Katie Hirsch start three games. Staduenmaier is 0-1-1 on her young career and Hirsch is 0-2-1. Staduenmaier has a goals against average of 3.55 and a save percentage of .927, and Hirsch has a goals against average of 4.19 and a save percentage of .901. In Concordia's most recent game against Lake Forest, Staduenmaier took over for Hirsch halfway through the second period.

The puck is set to drop at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon for the first ever meeting between these two programs. They will then wrap up the weekend series at 12 p.m. on Saturday.

- TT -