PLATTEVILLE, Wis. – The Blugolds lost to UW-Platteville 2-1 on Thursday at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer in the WIAC Tournament semifinals. UWEC put four of their eight shots on goal, while UWP finished with 16 shots and 10 on goal. Bella Jones tallied eight saves in goal, with four in each half.
The Blugolds' key first-half response came at 27:20, when Johanna Thompson finished a goal off Emma Donovan's assist to tie the match at 1-1. Earlier, Jones helped UW-Eau Claire get through an opening Pioneers push with saves on Morgan Hospodarsky at 1:39 and Jess Morawski at 4:35 around two UWP corner kicks, but Sarah Liljestrand scored from Hospodarsky at 7:47 to put the home side ahead 1-0. The Blugolds created chances on both sides of the equalizer, earning a corner in the 15th minute, getting a shot from Mikalyn Hidde and later seeing Jayda Swopes miss right in the 29th minute. Jones added another save on Emma Verdon in the 34th minute, and UWEC earned a corner in the final minute before Swopes' last attempt went out top as the half ended tied 1-1.
UW-Platteville created pressure with corners at 45:25 and 49:32, and Sarah Liljestrand hit the top woodwork at 50:12. Lisette Thurman put a shot on frame for the Blugolds at 52:45, but the home side kept the match at 1-1 through a run of chances that included Jones saves on Ladd and Liljestrand and another Pioneers corner at 60:26. The half grew more physical through the middle stages, but UWEC still generated a corner at 71:48 and a saved shot from Ellie Moilanen at 72:49. UW-Eau Claire kept the match level at 1-1 deep into the second half before UW-Platteville's McKinley Ladd scored at 81:53 to make it 2-1. Olivia Lukrafka Varassin put the Blugolds' final shot on target at 88:54, but Marguerite Mueller saved it and the Pioneers finished off the 2-1 final.
Thompson scored on her only shot, putting the attempt on goal for the Blugolds. Donovan recorded an assist and added one shot. Jones finished with eight saves in 90 minutes, making four saves in each half.
UW-Eau Claire ends the 2026 season 9-6-5 overall and 3-2-2 in the WIAC. The nine wins is the most since 2023 and six more than the 2025 campaign.
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