The UW-Eau Claire women's hockey team fell 6-3 to Adrian College (Mich.) in both teams' first Northern Collegiate Hockey Association contest of the year at Hobbs Ice Center.

Adrian (1-4-0, 1-0-0 NCHA) kicked off the game strong, scoring twice in the first period. Jessica Grubbs scored at five minutes while Ainsley Coon found the back of the net at 13:39.

The Blugolds (2-3-1, 0-1-0 NCHA) evened the score up early in the second period with two goals at 1:04 and 4:35 by Christine Dickinson (Jr.-Layton, Utah/Shattuck-St. Mary's). Toni Simones (So.-Rosemount, Minn./South St. Paul) assisted on both while Rita Simones (Jr.-Rosemount, Minn./South St. Paul) assisted on the first and Emily Haluska (Fr.-Stevens Point, Wis./SPASH) also assisted on the second.

The tie did not stay long, however, and the Blugolds once again found themselves down as Adrian scored two more times in the second. Adrian then put two more pucks in the net early in the third to make the score 6-2.

Toni Simones scored the Blugolds' final goal at 9:14 with assists from Dickinson and Casey McMullen (Fr.-Minneapolis, Minn./South) to make the score 6-3.

Adrian finished outshooting Eau Claire 34-26. Danika Porter (Jr.-Rosemount, Minn./South St. Paul) played the full 60 minutes between the pipes for the Blugolds and stopped 28 shots. Dana Timm played the entire game for Adrian at goalie and saved 23 shots.

The Blugolds will try and even out the weekend series against Adrian when the two teams meet once again at Hobbs Ice Center on Saturday. The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m.