ST. PAUL, Minn. — It was a bad news, good news night for the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team.

The bad news? The Cardinals failed to earn a berth in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff semifinals, thanks to a 4-2 loss to Hamline Tuesday night.

The good news? The Cardinals failed to earn a berth in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference playoff semifinals — against top-seeded Gustavus, a team that has lost just twice all season, and boasts a 10-0-1 record vs. SMU in their last 11 meetings.

That was one piece of good news, however, that coach Terry Mannor and the Cardinals would have loved to have a shot at.

"We would have loved another shot at Gustavus," said Mannor, whose team closed out its season with a 9-14-3 — and a seventh straight MIAC playoff appearance. "But this has nothing to hang their heads about — I am so proud of what they have accomplished.

"I think Sunday's game took its toll on us — both mentally and physically," continued Mannor, whose team closed out its regular season with a come-from-behind, 4-3 win over St. Thomas on Sunday. "To play a game like that, and then turn around two days later and have to play again, it was tough.

Determined not to have their season end in the playoff's opening round, seniors Melissa Mondo (Vadnais Heights, Minn.), Rachel Harrison (Madison, Wis.) and Laura Mueller (St. Paul, Minn.) did everything they could to get the Cardinals another crack at the Gusties, as the trio hooked up twice in the first two periods to give SMU a 2-1 edge heading into the game's final 20 minutes.

The Cardinals got on the board late in the first period, as Mondo was on the receiving end of a Mueller-to-Harrison-to-Mondo hook-up to give SMU a 1-0 lead. Hamline responded by tying the game less than two minutes into the second period, only to have SMU complete another senior trifecta as Mondo netted her second of the game off assists from Harrison and Mueller.

That, however, was all the offense SMU would muster — and the Pipers were just getting warmed up, as Hamline scored three times in the third period to seal their first-ever post-season victory.

"Obviously, the seniors are pretty disappointed, they weren't ready for their final season to come to an end," said Mannor, who loses 10 seniors to graduation. "But they can feel good of the way they went out — they went out fighting right to the end.

"You always want to win your final game, but only one team gets to do that — and, unfortunately, that team's not us this year."