Box Score

The UW-River Falls Falcons win the first ever WIAC Tournament title and take home the O'Brien Cup by beating the UW-Stevens Point Pointers 5-1 at Hunt Arena.

"We were the first team to win the NCHA Tournament championship and now we are the first team to win the WIAC Tournament title. It's fun to make history and bring the O'Brien Cup back to our trophy case," said Falcon Coach Joe Cranston after the game.

While in the past a conference championship win would mean an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament this year UWRF will be hoping their regular season resume along with the win will be enough for at large bid.  

Some of the 419 person crowd was still getting settled in their seats by the time the Falcons scored the first goal of the game.

Dani Sibley scored 37 seconds into the game assisted by Alice Cranston and Emily Stark.

Just minutes later UWSP had a breakaway opportunity that was poked away by a sprawled out Ashley Kuechle as a Falcon defender went flying into the net. The UWRF defense and Kuechle stayed strong all game.

With just 20 seconds left in the first period Sibley came circling around taking a pass from Allie Olson and lighting the lamp to give the Falcons a 2-0 lead going into the second period. The two first period goals put Sibley at 13 on the season.

UWRF put 10 shots on goal compared to six by UWSP.  

UWSP came out strong in the second period and controlled the puck in the Falcon zone a majority of the time but could not get one past Kuechle who finished the game with 22 saves.

"I thought we played very well," said Cranston. "But Stevens Point played equally well. They had us on our heals at times. (Ashley) Kuechle kept us in the game - especially in the second period."

Despite only putting four shots on goal in the second period while the Pointers had nine the Falcons got the lone goal of the period. Chloe Kinsel attacked the net on the right side and scored a top shelf goal to give UWRF the 3-0 lead. She was assited by Hayley Walsh on the play.

Janna Beilke-Skoug would not allow another goal while playing in net for the Pointers. Despite allowing the three goals she played tough in goal with 18 saves in the game.
Shots on goal stayed even in the third period with UWRF getting a small 9-8 advantage.

Cassandra Salmen scored her 18^th goal of the season when she snuck the puck low underneath Kuechle to give the Pointers some life.

Down by two goals UWSP pulled Beilke-Skoug. The Pointers never got a shot on the Falcons goal with the one skater advantage and allowed Brianna Breiland to find the back of the net.

Down by three goals UWSP tried pulling Beilke-Skoug one more time but Brook Story scored a goal taking a shot all the way from the Falcons zone that slowly slid all the way down into the net.

UWSP drops to 19-5-4 and will also be hoping for an at large bid into the NCAA tournament. UWRF improves to 21-4-3 on the season. Both teams will find out Monday morning at 9 a.m. if their seasons will continue. The NCAA quarterfinal will be played next Saturday with the times yet to be determined. 

Box Score