Game Summary

ST. PAUL, Minn. — After struggling through their first eight Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games — managing a meager 3-3-2 record that included a loss (1-0) and a tie (3-3) against Gustavus last weekend — Duncan Ryhorchuk knew how important this weekend's series against St. Catherine was for his Saint Mary's University women's hockey team.

After all, the Wildcats were coming into the two-game series in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings — and if the Cardinals were going to make a move toward the top of the MIAC heap, it was going to have to start Friday night.

And start it did.

SMU got a pair of second-period goals from Emily Kearns (Hopkins, Minn.) and the game-winner four minutes into the third period by Alissa Schultz (LeSeuer, Minn.), as the Cardinals rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat CSC 3-2.

"It was really nice to see us battle back after falling behind 2-0," admitted Ryhorchuk, whose team picked up its first win since a 3-2 decision over Concordia on Dec. 6 — having gone 0-2-3 in its last five games. "I wasn't too worried (about the two-goal deficit), because I thought we were controlling the play pretty well, and I felt if we kept working hard, the goals would come."

And Ryhorchuk's patience was rewarded.

Kearns pulled the Cardinals within one, 2-1, four minutes into the second period, then added her second of the night — and team-leading 10th of the season — with less than a minute remaining in the period as SMU knotted the score 2-2 heading into the final 20 minutes.

"We played a very solid second period — we moved the puck well, we made good decisions, we skated hard," said Ryhorchuk, whose team outshot St. Catherine 11-7 in the second period. "We stole a bit of the momentum in the second and picked up right where we left off to start the third."

Schultz gave the Cardinals the lead at the 4:05 mark of the third period, and SMU goalie Missie Meemken (St. Cloud, Minn.) made the lead hold up, stopping all 13 third-period shots.

"That was a big win for us — but we still have another game to play," warned Ryhorchuk, whose team plays host to the Wildcats in Saturday's rematch at the SMU Ice Arena. "(Saturday's game) is just as important to us as Friday's, but it's also juast as important game to St. Catherine.

'It's going to come down to who works hard and who wants it more."