RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point women's hockey team suffered a 5-2 loss to No. 2 UW-River Falls on Friday at W.H. Hunt Arena.
 
Junior Ali Biagini (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater) and sophomore Cara Lemirande (Janesville, WI/Craig) tallied a goal each in the second and third periods, but it wasn't enough for the Pointers (9-6-2, 2-2-0 WIAC), who were outshot by the Falcons (17-1-0, 3-1-0 WIAC) 36-17.
 
The Pointers found themselves in the hole early down two goals to none after the first period. At 8:08, Falcon's Payton Rudiger rebounded her own shot off Pointers' goalie Sydney Conley (South St. Paul, MN/South St. Paul) for the first goal of the game. Five minutes later, Paige Johnson added to the Falcon's lead for a quick two goal lead. The Pointers managed just four shots in the opening period.
 
Less than a minute into the second period, the Pointers cut the lead in half thanks to an Ali Biagini (Stillwater, MN/Stillwater) goal, assisted by Lemirande and Maddie Schlossmacher (Roseville, MN/Roseville), at 0:23. At 5:09, Falcon's Dani Sibley, shorthanded, put the game back to a two-goal lead. Sibley netted her 20^th goal of the season. River Falls added another goal midway through the period and while UWSP doubled their shots on goal from the first period, the Pointers found themselves trailing 4-1 by the end of the period.
 
Division III's best in power play situations added yet another power play goal at 9:53 of the third period. With the person advantage, Pointers' Lemirande scored her 11^th goal of the season cutting the lead 4-2. The high-powered offense of the Falcon's continued to dominate however adding a goal at 19:14 ending the game 5-2.
 
Game two of the two-game series is slated for Saturday, Jan. 21 at W.H. Hunt Arena. The Pointers and Falcons are set to face off at 2:05 p.m.