Local sports fans will be treated to a women’s hockey double header on Saturday, February 3rd at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point. At 2:30 the UW-Stevens Point Pointers will host the UW-Eau Claire Blugolds in a WIAC college hockey clash.
Then at 5:30 the #2 ranked Eau Claire Area Stars will face-off against the 7th ranked Wisconsin Valley Union in a battle of top ten WIAA high school teams.
The Pointers (11-7-2) and the Blugolds (12-6-3) both feature many Wisconsin high school products. A total of 18 Badger state players are combined on the two rosters. Former Central Wisconsin Storm players include goaltender Lisa Fowle, & forward Angie Stroik with UW-Stevens Point and forwards Kelly Knetter, Elizabeth & Emily Bauer and defenseman Taylor Treu with UW-Eau Claire. Elizabeth Bauer leads the Blugolds in scoring with 22 points on 8 goals & 14 assists, while Knetter is 5th with 12 points. Fowle is 3-1 with a 1.53 GAA for the Pointers. Other local girls include (UWSP) Lauren Smith from Antigo; (UWEC) Courtney Wittig and Morgan Zirbel from Green Bay.
Other state players include: UWEC--Holly Turnbull (Hayward), Emma Peterson (Superior), Erin Connolly (Mequon), and Carlie Christensen (Ellsworth).
UWSP players include: Brie Larkowski (Somerset), Cara Lemirande (Janesville), Cassie Newcomer (McFarland), McKenna Butcher (Sun Prairie), and Alex Grubbs (Spooner).
On the high school side, the Stars come in with a 17-2 record and will showcase the state’s top two scorers in Abigail Stow and Ava Kison who have combined for 121 points. Senior Markie Ash leads the 15-2-2 Union with 39 points. Both teams feature top goaltending with Pistol Cowden leading the Union with a 1.31 goals against average and Naomi Stow a 1.34 for the Stars.