Box Score Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — Sunday afternoon was Senior Night for the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team — one last home hurrah for the Cardinals' 10 graduating seniors.

And this year's senior class certainly has had more than their fair share of accomplishments, including four straight Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference appearances.

But one thing has eluded this year's seniors heading into Sunday's rematch against St. Thomas — a win over the Tommies.

SMU had faced UST eight times, and all eight times the Tommies skated away the victors.

There would be no No. 9.

The Cardinals — with their seniors leading the way — snapped that eight-game losing streak against the Tommies in dramatic fashion, scoring three time in the third period, erasing a 3-1 UST lead and giving SMU the 4-3 victory at the SMU Ice Arena.

"I am so proud of this team," said a beaming SMU coach Terry Mannor. "We talked all week about how much this group of seniors has accomplished — four straight conference playoff appearances at the top of the list — but the one thing they haven't done is beat St. Thomas.

"Now they can cross that off their list, too."

For nearly two and a half periods, however, it looked like St. Thomas would make it nine straight, as the Tommies' Maggie Toft scored five minutes into the third period to give UST a commanding 3-1 advantage.

But the Cardinals were not to be denied — this was one mission they were determined to accomplish.

Rebecca Jelenc (Sheboygan, Wis.) — one of the Cardinals' 10 graduating seniors — cut the Tommie gap to one, 3-2 with her third of the season on a wrist shot from the slot at 8:26. Nicole Reynard (Hortonville, Wis.) then tied the game at 3-3 six minutes later, before Rachel Harrison (Madison, Wis.) — another Cardinal senior — netted the game-winner, knocking in her own rebound with less than four minutes remaining in regulation.

And while the Cardinal offense was busy lighting up the scoreboard, senior goalie Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. .) was busy keeping the Tommies off the board, stopping 24 shots — including six of the Tommies' seven third-period shots.

"This is a huge win for us, not just because it gives our seniors that feather in their cap by beating St. Thomas, but it also gives us a huge boost of confidence heading into the playoffs," said Mannor, whose team opens conference tournament play Tuesday at Hamline. "We've said all season that if we play together and play within our systems, we can beat anybody — and this game just solidifies that."