EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's hockey team (13-11-2) dropped the opening game of the WIAC O'Brien Cup (presented by Culver's) semifinals by a 4-1 score against UW-Eau Claire (17-8-1) on Friday afternoon at Hobbs Arena.

Senior Meredith Ingbretson (Hayward, WI/Hayward) put the Pointers ahead late in the first period with a power play goal.  She tallied her ninth of the year at the 16:03 mark of the period with Lauren Smith (Antigo, WI/Antigo) picking up an assist.

The host Blugolds evened the score just over five minutes into the second period on the power play.  Later in the period, UWEC seized the momentum with another power play tally at 15:26.  The Blugolds added their third goal of the period less than two minutes later.

Down a pair of goals heading to the third, the Pointers couldn't sustain the UWEC charge. The Blugolds found the back of the net again 6:43 into the final stanza to complete the scoring.

Ingbretson led all Pointers with five shots in the game.  Sophomore Cara Lemirande (Janesville, WI/Craig) added four shots as UWSP was out-shot 36-20 in the game.

Sydney Conley (South St. Paul, MN/South St. Paul) made 32 saves for the Pointers.  Her counterpart, Erin Conolly stopped 19 UWSP shots.

The Pointers return to Hobbs Arena on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. for game two of the best-of-three series.