MENOMONIE, Wis. – Freshman Gracie Wendels (Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Assumption) scored her first goal of conference play and the UW-Stevens Point women's soccer team (6-5-1, 0-1-1) held on to earn its first point in WIAC action with a 1-1 draw at UW-Stout () on Sunday.
 
The Pointers put the pressure on offensively early.  Maddy Hardyman (Red Wing, Minn./Red Wing) fired the first shot of the match in the first minute forcing the UW-Stout keeper to make a save.  In the eighth minute, Nora Hargett (Columbia, Mo./Hickman) rang a shot off the crossbar.
 
UWSP rattled off five more shots before Wendels got one past the keeper in the 27th minute.  It was Wendels' fifth tally of the year with an assist from Hargett, her team-high fifth helper of the year.
 
In the 30th minute, the Blue Devils knotted the match at 1-1 on their first shot of the match.
 
UWSP tried unsuccessfully three more times in the first half to break the tie.  Alexis Petersen (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge) first two late shots on net to no avail.
 
The home side earned six corner kicks in the second half and the Pointers absorbed the pressure conserve the tie.  Late in the second frame, Hargett, Wendels and Olivia Bohnert (Oshkosh, Wis./Fox Valley Lutheran) all tested the Blue Devils' keeper.
 
In the first overtime, UWSP had all three shots of the period.  Amanda Maestas (Plano, Texas/Plano Senior High) had the only shot of the second overtime for the Pointers and UW-Stout shot twice, wide both times.
 
Senior goalkeeper Sarah Peplinski (Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) made two saves in the tie.  UWSP out-shot the Blue Devils, 19-5, and forced the UW-Stout keeper to make eight saves.
 
The Pointers return home to face UW-Eau Claire on Wednesday (Oct. 11) with a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against the Blugolds.