Game Summary

ST. PAUL, Minn. — After beating St. Catherine rather easily Friday evening, it was understandable if the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team came out a bit flat in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rematch on Saturday.

They did — then they didn't.

The Cardinals struggled to a 2-2 first-period tie vs. the Wildcats Saturday evening, then erupted for three second-period tallies and two more goals in the third en route to a convincing 7-2 victory and a sweep of their two-game conference series with the Wildcats.

"We did not play well in the first period — I think everyone was a bit overconfident after Friday's game," said SMU coach Duncan Ryhorchuk, referring to Friday's 5-0 shutout win in which SMU goalie Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) stopped 28 shots for her second straight shutout and Emily Kearns (Hopkins, Minn.) scored a pair of goals. "We played so well (Friday) and I think everyone figured it would just be more of the same (Saturday)."

It wasn't — at least not at the start.

St. Catherine put an end to Jung's shutout streak six minutes into the first period as Michelle Byers scored a powerplay goal. The Cardinals bounced back with back-to-back goals by Melissa Mondo (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) and Jenny Hocum (Rochester, Minn.), but Katie Eichten's goal with nine seconds remaining sent the teams to the locker room tied 2-2.

"We talked things over between the first and second periods," explained Ryhorchuk. "The biggest difference between Friday's game and the first period Saturday was that we played the way we were capable on Friday, and then just kind of stood around in the first period (Saturday."

That intermission "pep talk" certainly worked wonders as SMU's offense came to life, getting goals from Kate Williams (Minneapolis, Minn.), Emily Babcock (St. Paul, Minn.) and Kearns in its three-goal second period, then completed the rout with goals by Hocum and Megan Chown (Onalaska, Wis.) in the third period.

"We played much more like we are capable in the second and third periods," said Ryhorchuk, whose team moved to 4-0 in the MIAC and 4-1-1 overall. "Our conference is so balanced this year, and for us to get off to a strong start like we have is a big boost.

"Hopefully we can use (Saturday's game) as a bit of a learning experience — we can't afford to take any team lightly."