Box Score Game Summary vs. Bethel /
GameDay Online
BLAINE, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team headed into Friday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Bethel averaging just over two goals-per-game.
The Royals, meanwhile, boasted one of the conference's best goalies in three-time All-MIAC first-teamer Beth Spurrier.
It was a recipe for disaster for the Cardinals.
Spurrier, who allowed just three goals in the teams' two meetings last year — including a 38-save shutout in the first game — was at her brick-wall best again Friday night, limiting SMU to a single first-period goal in guiding the Royals to a 2-1 win at the Schwan's Super Rink.
“That was a great college hockey game,” said SMU coach
Terry Mannor. “We played very well — especially early on. It was one of those games that could have gone either way — unfortunately for us, the end result didn't go in our favor.”
The Cardinals dominated the game's opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Royals 15-6 and getting the period's only goal at 11:02 off the stick of
Dana Kreuser (Maplewood, Minn.).
As good as the Cardinals were in the opening period, Bethel was equally as good in the second, limiting SMU to just five shots — while pelting SMU goalie
Madeline Lenz (White Bear Lake, Minn.) with 19 second-period shots. The Royals also netted the only goal of the period, Bethany Murphy's 10th of the season at 14:52.
The Royals then broke the tie with just over five minutes remaining in regulation, as Miriam Paas scored her first goal of the season.
“I'm very pleased with the way we played,” Mannor said. “We had our share of chances, we just didn't capitalize on enough of them. We knew coming in that it was going to be tough to score goals against (Spurrier) — she's very good, and played extremely well.
“It's tough to lose a game like that, hopefully we can bounce back (Saturday).”
The Cardinals and Royals square off again Saturday night, as SMU plays host to the Royals in the second game of their two-game MIAC series at 4 p.m. at the SMU Ice Arena.
