Box Score

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WINONA, Minn. — After back-to-back five-goal performances last weekend in a pair of 5-4 wins vs. St. Olaf, it appeared that the Saint Mary's University women's  hockey team finally had its offense on the right track.

So much for appearances.

The Cardinals generated more than enough offensive opportunities in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Bethel Friday night — outshooting the Royals 38-30 — getting the puck past goalie Beth Spurrier, on the other hand, was next to impossible.

Spurrier kicked out all 38 SMU shots, leading the Royals to a 3-0 conference win, while foiling the Cardinals' bid for their first three-game winning streak of the season.

"I don't even know what to say," said SMU coach Terry Mannor. "We had a lot of shots, we just didn't have that many really good scoring chances — and the ones we did, (Spurrier) shut the door on us."

After a scoreless first period, the Royals finally got on the board midway through the second, as Sandra Felten netted the first of her two goals, beating SMU goalie Brittany Lemke (St. Charles, Ill.) with a slap shot from the point that hit the under side of the cross bar and found its way into the net.

Kassie Sullivan would make it 2-0 before the period ended, and Felten added her team-leading 14th of the season midway through the third period to ice the win.

"It's disappointing, no question about that," said Mannor, whose team entered the weekend in fourth place in the MIAC standings, one point in front of Hamline and Saint Benedict.  "We knew coming in that this weekend was going to be important (in the MIAC playoff race).

"Now we've got our backs to the wall and we are going to really have our work cut out for us."