WINONA, Minn. — Taking on a team like nationally ranked UW-Superior is tough.

Doing so twice in less than 24 hours is next to impossible.

Yet, that's exactly what faced the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team Saturday.

The Yellowjackets, who scored a shorthanded goal, a powerplay goal and an even strength tally in Friday's 3-1 win, completed the nonconference sweep on Saturday, scoring two third-period goals to put away the Cardinals 4-1 at the SMU Ice Arena.

"This was a exhausting series — for both teams," said SMU coach Terry Mannor, who saw his team fall to 1-2-0 overall with the back-to-back losses to the Yellowjackets. "Our players our dead-tired, but Superior played tired (Saturday), too.

"Anytime you have to play a night game and then an afternoon game, it's a little harder to play at the top of your game," continued Mannor. "But I was very happy with the way we played — Superior had to earn both of their wins, we didn't give them anything."

The Yellowjackets scored single goals in each of the first two periods — a first-period tally by Hally Sharrow and a powerplay goal by Tara Evoy midway through the second — and pushed their advantage to 4-0 on back-to-back goals by Erin Kegley and Stacy Anderson four minutes apart early in period No. 3

( The Cardinals broke the shutout bid of UW-Superior goalie Nikki Nesper at 8:09 of the third period, as Madeline Loftus (Parsippany, N.J.) banged home a rebound off a shot by teammate Val RodriguezWoodbury, Minn.).

Amanda Gage (Lino Lakes, Minn.) and Jessie Smith (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) split time in goal for the Cardinals, with Gage finishing with 15 saves, while Smith stopped 12 of the 14 shots she faced.

"Despite the two losses, this was a good series for us," said Mannor. "I hope these two games proved to everyone that when we play the way we are capable, we can stay with anybody."