WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team, coming off back-to-back wins at Marian and St. Norbert last weekend, kick off their home schedule on Friday, playing host to UW-Eau Claire in a 7 p.m. nonconference game at the SMU Ice Arena.


The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-0-0 Overall) vs.
UW-Eau Claire Blugolds (0-0-0 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals are coming off a pair of road wins last weekend, beating Marian 5-0 in their season-opener last Friday, before completing the perfect weekend with a 2-1 triumph over St. Norbert on Saturday. … UW-Eau Claire, meanwhile, are officially kicking off their season tonight against the Cardinals. UW-EC collected a 4-1 win vs. Pembina Valley Hawks in an exhibition game last Sunday.

A Year Ago:
November 13, 2009: Beth Dittrich snapped a 1-1 tie with less than four minutes remaining in regulation, as UW-Eau Claire handed the Cardinals a 2-1 nonconference setback in Winona, Minn.

November 14, 2009: The Cardinals turned the tables on the Blugolds in the teams' rematch, as Ingrid Klockars (Wheaton, Ill.) scored both SMU goals — including the game-winner with 38 seconds remaining in regulation — lifting Saint Mary's to a 2-1 win in Eau Claire, Wis.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
SMU's 5-0 win over Marian was the Cardinals' first season-opening win since kicking off the 2005-06 season with a win over UW-Eau Claire — ironically, the Cardinals scored five goals in that game, as well. … The Cardinals' 2-0 start is its first since opening with 2-1 and 4-3 wins over Finlandia to open the 2004-05 season. … Four of SMU's six goals last weekend were scored by freshmen. … Haley Coolsaet (Grosse Island, Mich.) collected her first two collegiate goals in last Friday's win over Marian, while Kara Cole (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) and Brittany Therrien (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) also scored their first goals as Cardinals last weekend. … Erin Stenseth (Eau Claire, Wis.) picked up a goal in both games last weekend, while Alex Braun (Darwin, Minn.) accounted for SMU's other goal. … Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) and Riley Brown (Riverside, Calif.) each had two assists last weekend and share the team lead in points (2) with Coolsaet and Braun. … Kaye Collier (Hibbing, Minn.) stopped all seven shots she faced in earning a season-opening shutout vs. Marian last Friday, then added 25 saves in Saturday's victory vs. St. Norbert. … The Cardinals scored three of their seven goals in the third period last weekend | 2010-2011 Statistics

UW-Eau Claire Blugolds News and Notes:
The Blugolds enter this season after going 12-12-3 over and 7-7-2 in the NCHA a year ago. … Head coach Mike Collins — who is entering his 11th season as the Blugolds' head coach — needs just one win to reach the 100-win plateau. … UW-Eau Claire returns 14 letterwinners off last season's squad — including leading scorer Kristin Faber. … Faber led the team with 19 goals and 34 points a year ago. … Faber enters her senior season as the school's all-time goal scoring leader with 81. … Danika Porter started 16 of the team's 27 games in goal last season, compiling a 2.72 goals-against-average and a .904 save percentage. … Nine of UW-EC's 12 wins a year ago came on the Blugolds home ice, where they posted a 9-4-1 record. … The Blugolds outscored their opponents 90-67 last season, including 33-20 in the second period. … UW-Eau Claire was 11-4-0 when scoring first. … All three of UW-EC's ties last season came when the Blugolds opponent scored first | 2009-2010 Statistics