Box Score Box Score

STEVENS POINT - After holding second ranked Wheaton College (Ill.) to a first half stalemate, UW-Stevens Point gave up three second half goals and lost 3-0 in the 2009 season opener between the Pointers and Thunder.

The Pointers, who lost ten seniors from the 2008 squad that made the Sweet 16, held the defending national runners-up to a scoreless first half, as Pointer goalkeeper Liz Hunter (Stevens Point) tallied four saves on eight Wheaton first half shots in her Pointer debut.

Wheaton got on the board nine minutes into the second half with an Ali Kopelman (Rockford, Ill) goal. For the rest of the second half, the young Pointers kept it close until the 82nd minute, when Wheaton's 2008 leading scorer Taryne Lee (St. Charles, Ill) and Brittany Bergh (Delano, Minn) scored two quick goals to close out the match, sealing the shutout victory.

On the day, Hunter tallied seven saves, while UWSP's freshman forward Kirsti Nickels (Appleton)  led the Pointer offense with two shots on goal.

Wheaton net-minder Hillary Barrto (Perris, Calif.) tallied four saves on the day to record her first shutout of the season.

The Pointers next travel to Decorah, Iowa, in a match against Luther College this Saturday, September 5th. Action begins at 4:00 PM.