WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team is back in action Saturday afternoon, as the Cardinals entertain Concordia (Wis.) for a 2 p.m. nonconference game at the SMU Ice Arena.



The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-1-1 Overall)
vs. Concordia (Wis.) Falcons (1-1-0 Overall)

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Last Action:
The Cardinals got three goals from Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.), as SMU picked up its first win of the season, beating St. Norbert 5-3 Friday evening in a nonconference game at the SMU Ice Arena. … Concordia (Wis.), meanwhile, suffered its first loss of the season, falling 7-1 to Gustavus in a nonconference game in St. Peter, Minn.

SMU vs. Concordia (Wis.) — Their Last Meeting:
Saturday afternoon's contest between the Cardinals and the Falcons will be the first meeting in the teams' history.

Up Next:
The Cardinals kick off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Friday, hosting Hamline in the first game of a two-game, home-and-home conference series. Game time is 7 p.m. at the SMU Ice Arena. … Concordia (Wis.), meanwhile, returns home on Tuesday, hosting Lake Forest in a 7 p.m. contest at the Ozaukee Ice Center, Cedarburg, Wis.

Saint Mary's Cardinals News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule | Media Guide
Saturday's game against Concordia (Wis.) is the second of three straight home games for the Cardinals. … Nicole Olson (New Brighton, Minn.) recorded her first collegiate hat trick in Friday's 5-3 win over St. Norbert. … Olson also collected a pair of assists vs. the Green Knights en route to the first five-point game of her collegiate career. … Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.) notched her first two-goal game vs. St. Norbert Friday and has now recorded at least one goal in two of the team's first three games. … Olson and Peterson lead the team with three goals each, as the duo has accounted for six of the team's seven goals. … Olson also leads the team with five points, with Peterson second with four. … Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) made 29 saves in her third straight start Friday, and enters Saturday's game against Concordia (Wis.) with a 2.62 goals-against-average and a .917 save percentage. … Friday's win over St. Norbert marked the first time in the last 15 games the Cardinals have won when their opponent scored first (0-12-2). … Last Friday's 2-2, season-opening tie against Lake Forest marked the first time the Cardinals have opened a season with a tie since battling UW-River Falls to a 2-2 deadlock to kick off the 2006-07 season. … Last Friday's 2-2 tie with the Foresters was the fourth tie in the last five overtime games for the Cardinals, who were 1-0-3 in OT games a year ago. … The Cardinals closed out the 2010-11 season with 11 wins, marking the second straight season — and 10th time in the program's history — that SMU has won 10 or more games in a season.

Concordia (Wis.) Falcons News and Notes:
2011-12 Roster | 2011-12 Statistics | 2011-12 Schedule
The Falcons are coming off a 13-11-4 season a year ago — including a berth in their first-ever berth in the NCHA Tournament semifinals. … The 13 wins a year ago are the most in the program's four-year history. … Erin Grant scored her first goal of the season to account for the Falcons' lone tally against Gustavus Friday. … Emily Heckendorf enters Saturday's game at Saint Mary's with a team-leading two goals, while also leading the squad with four points. … Heckendorf shares the team's assist lead (2) with Hilary Christiansen. … Concordia (Wis.) has used two goalies this season, with the duo combining for a 5.32 goals-against-average and an .866 save percentage. … Saturday's game against Saint Mary's is the second straight road game for the Falcons, who opened the season with a 5-4 home overtime win over Marian. The Falcons will also play their next three games on their home ice. … The Falcons were picked to finish ninth in the NCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll.