Women's Soccer 9/1/04 -- Wisconsin-Eau Claire 3, Augsburg 1 

BOXSCORE 

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (9/1/04) -- Maria Iaizzo (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) netted a goal just 4:19 into the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire women's soccer team's season opener against visiting Augsburg College, as the Blugolds topped the Auggies 3-1 in nonconference action Wednesday evening at the Bollinger Fields.

The goal was Iaizzo's first as a Blugold after transferring to Eau Claire from Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The won a free kick and found the back of the net to give Eau Claire an early advantage and send the team to the win. It was the first match of the season for both teams.

Becky Sitter (Fr., Waupaca, Wis.) added to the lead in the 30th minute of the contest as she took a pass through the box from Anna Jackson (So., Madison, Wis./West HS) and shot it past Augsburg goalkeeper Liz Osterman (Fr., Lincoln, Neb./Southeast HS). The points for both Sitter and Jackson were the first of their collegiate careers.

Augsburg finally got on the scoreboard at the 60:56 mark, when Aili Brom-Palkowski (So., Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) took a long shot from beyond the box that found the net to cut the Eau Claire lead to 2-1. Gretchen Olson (Fr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) put the game out of reach in the final minute of the game, putting back a rebound from a Marcia Foltz (Jr., Madison, Wis./Memorial HS) shot to give the Blugolds the 3-1 victory.

The Blugolds held the Auggies to 10 shots on goal while Eau Claire's forwards were able to tally 17 shots. Annie Scharenbroich (So., White Bear Lake, Minn.) allowed just the one goal while making seven saves in net for the Blugolds. Osterman, making her collegiate debut for the Auggies, managed five saves.

Up next for the Eau Claire soccer squad is a trip to Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday (9/4) when the Blugolds will square off with Loras (Iowa) at 2 p.m. Augsburg also is in action on Saturday, hosting Wisconsin-River Falls at 1 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.