Box Score

RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com)-The UW-River Falls Women's Hockey team hosted UW-Superior on Saturday afternoon at Hunt Arena.  Ashley Effertz scored her first goal of the season, but it was not enough as the Falcons fell to UW-Superior 3-1. 
 
The Falcons came out in the first period and put the pressure on for the first two minutes of the game, spending the entire first 2 minutes in the offensive zone firing shots toward the Yellowjacket net. 
 
At 2:17 into the period Karleigh Wolkerstorfer was called for roughing and the Yellowjackets went on the power play.  The Falcon penalty killers, lead by their goalie Angie Hall, made quick work of the UW-Superior power play.  Angie made some good quality saves and the penalty killers in front of her blocked a few shots as well. 
 
A couple of minutes late the Falcons would get their chance on the power play when Saige Patrick was called for hooking.  The Falcons would generate some good quality scoring chances on the power play, but could not get one past the UW-Superior goaltender.    
 
The Falcons continued to pressure in the minutes that followed, but it was the Yellowjackets that struck for the first goal. At 9:26 in the period Mikayla Goodin had the puck behind the net and threw it out front deflecting off of one of the Falcon defenseman and into the back of the net to put Superior up 1-0.
 
The Falcons would get another shot on the power play at the 10:54 mark when the Yellowjackets were called for tripping.  On the ensuing power play the Falcons sustained good pressure and generated a few good scoring chances but could not get the equalizer. 
 
The Falcon penalty killers were tested late in the period when Karleigh Wolkerstorfer was called for a high sticking penalty at 18:23.  The Falcons killed off the rest of the period with ease and the first period ended with the Falcons trailing 1-0.  The shots were even at 9 a piece for the period.
 
The second period began with the Falcons killing off the rest of a carry over penalty.  Once the penalty was over, the barrage of shots on the UW-Superior net was on.  The Falcons dominated the period causing the Yellowjackets to take two penalties around the half way mark of the period.  The first Superior penalty came at the 11:02 mark when Abby Constant-Bercie was called for hooking.  On the ensuing power play the Falcons sustained pressure and were had puck possession in the offensive end almost the whole two minutes, generating multiple scoring opportunities and tallying 5 shots on goal, but were un able to tie the game at 1. 
 
The Yellowjackets were then called for another penalty at the 15:56 mark which put the Falcons again on the power play.  The Falcons could not get much going on the power play and didn't even register a shot on net. 
 
The second period ended with the Falcons pressing hard to tie the game, but they just couldn't get the puck past Sky Brown, who had an incredible game in net.  The Falcons trailed 1-0 on the score board but they had out shot the Yellowjackets 11-2 for the period and 20-11 for the game up to the point. 
 
The third period began just like the second period ended with the Falcons dominating puck possession time and spending most of the time in the offensive end firing shots at the Yellowjacket net minder.  The Falcons fired everything they could at Sky Brown, but she continued to make some great saves. 
 
The Yellowjackets took a two goal lead at the 7:01 mark of the period when the Falcons turned the puck over in their own zone and Mikayla Goodin scored her second goal of the game.
 
The Falcons looked to cut Superior's lead in half over the next couple of minutes, but they were turned away and it was UW-Superior that would push their lead to 3 at the 10:33 mark when Kelly Cockerill found the back of the net, to put the Yellowjackets up 3-0.
 
The Falcons fought back late in the third period, when they pulled their goaltender with 5:10 left in the game for the extra attacker.  The Falcons swarmed the net but could not get one past the Yellowjacket goal tender. 
 
The Falcons finally broke through at the 16:44 mark, when Karleigh Wolkerstorfer won a faceoff right back to Ashley Effertz who one timed a shot to the back of the net, cutting the lead to 2. 
 
The last 4 minutes of the period, the Falcons rushed the Yellowjacket net and threw everything they could at Sky Brown, but could not get any closer, as the game ended with the score of 3-1.  The Falcons out shot UW-Superior 34-18.  The Falcons fell to 15-4-1 on the season and 6-3 in the WIAC. 
 
The Falcons are back in action next Saturday February 6^th, when they travel to UW-Superior.  Puck drop is set for 2pm.

Video Highlights courtesy of Kelsy Tyznik: UW-River Falls Women's Hockey vs UW-Superior Jan. 30, 2016