STEVENS POINT, Wis. – In a contest defined by defensive resilience and spectacular goaltending, the Beloit College Buccaneers (2-18-0, 0-8-0 WIAC) showcased their competitive spirit this afternoon, falling 3-1 to the UW-Stevens Point Pointers (10-11-0, 4-4-0 WIAC). While the final score favored the home team, the story of the game was Beloit's ability to weather an offensive onslaught and fight until the final horn.
The opening period set the tone for the Buccaneers' defensive masterclass. Despite being outshot 18-4 by a relentless Pointers offense, Beloit entered the first intermission with a clean 0-0 slate. The primary catalyst was goaltender Janelle Quast (Litchfield, Minn.), who delivered one of her finest performances of the season.
Quast was a literal wall in the first twenty minutes, turning aside 18 shots and frustrating Stevens Point's top lines. The Beloit defensive unit provided crucial support, led by Natalie Gurr (Okotoks, Alberta, Canada), who finished the game with a team-high five blocked shots. This early momentum shift belonged entirely to the Buccaneers, who proved they could hang with a veteran Pointers squad through sheer discipline and grit.
The Pointers finally managed to solve the Beloit defense in the second period, with Jenna Britz and Maddie Andrle finding the back of the net to give Stevens Point a 2-0 lead. However, the Buccaneers refused to buckle. Quast continued her heroics, facing a staggering 23 shots in the second period alone and stopping 21 of them.
Beloit's special teams also stepped up, successfully killing off a power play late in the period to keep the game within reach. The Buccaneers' "never-quit" attitude was evident as players like April Vocke (Eau Claire, Wis.) (3 blocks) and Natasha Ludwig (Royalton) (2 blocks) sacrificed their bodies to keep the deficit manageable.
Trailing 3-0 midway through the third period, Beloit found the offensive spark they had been searching for. At the 16:00 mark, the momentum shifted back to the visitors. Tate Hutchinson (Calgary, Alberta) forced a turnover and found Kennedy Gruhlke (Eau Claire, Wis.), who rifled a shot past the Pointers' keeper for her fourth goal of the season.
The Gruhlke goal breathed new life into the Beloit bench, as the Buccaneers intensified their pressure in the final four minutes. While the clock eventually ran out on the comeback attempt, the late-game surge provided a glimpse of the offensive potential this team carries when they find their rhythm.
The Buccaneers face Marian University on Tuesday for their final non-conference game of the season. Puck drop from the Blue Line Family Ice Center is set for 1 pm.
