Box Score Game Summary / GameDay Preview

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Friday evening, the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team could do no wrong, as the Cardinals erupted for three goals in the second period and rolled to a 4-1 victory over UW-Eau Claire in the teams' nonconference game at the SMU Ice Arena.

Saturday evening, however, the Cardinals could do no right, as the Blugolds used a three-goal period of their own — then held off a furious SMU comeback in beating the Cardinals 4-3 at Hobbs Ice Arena.

“We just got off to a tough start and never recovered,” said SMU coach Terry Mannor. “We can't afford to spot teams four goals and expect to win too many games. I was happy with the way we battled back, we just dug ourselves too big a hole.”

The Blugolds could control early, scoring 2:26 into the opening period on a goal by Emily Larson, then making it 2-0 a minute later when Taylor Jenkins beat SMU goalie Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.). Casey McMullen would push the UW-Eau Claire lead to 3-0 with her first of th season before the first period was over.

Kristin Faber pushed the Blugolds' lead to 4-0 at 15:54 of the second period, before the Cardinals' offense finally came to life. Melissa Haight (Brandon, S.D.) cut the gap to 4-1 with her first collegiate goal with less than two minutes remaining in the second period, and Haley Coolsaet (Grosse Island, Mich.) made it a two-goal game four minutes into the third period.

Brittany Therrien (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) got the Cardinals to within a goal, 4-3, with her team-leading fourth goal of the season, but with just 15 seconds remaining on the clock, it was too little, too late.

Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 43 saves in her first collegiate start for SMU, while UW-EC goalie Jordan Quiring stopped 20 shots in helping the Blugolds to their first win of the season.

The Cardinals open MIAC play next Friday, traveling to Concordia for a 7 p.m. contest.