Box Score  | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — Despite unseasonably warm temperatures outside, the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team's offense remained in a deep-freeze Monday evening, as UW-River Falls handed the Cardinals a 2-0 nonconference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.

The Cardinals, who have now been held off the scoreboard in each of their last four games, battled the Falcons to a 0-0 deadlock for almost the entire first half — almost.

The Falcons' Alyssa Manor took a feed from Carlin Bunting and beat SMU goalkeeper Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.) with just 51 seconds remaining in the half to give UW-River Falls a 1-0 advantage heading into the break.

Bunting was at it again in the game's 64th minute, as the senior midfielder feathered a pass to Alex Swatioski, who lofted a shot that eluded the outstretched arms of Halling and found the left corner of the net to push the Falcons' lead to 2-0.

Halling, making her 16th straight start in goal for the Cardinals, finished with seven saves — including six in the second half — while Lia Irwin (Prescott, Ariz.) and Heidi Martin (Ankeny, Iowa) each had two shot attempts, and Emily Donohue (Centennial Colo.) accounted for SMU's lone shot on goal, to lead the SMU offense.

The Cardinals are back in conference play on Wednesday, hosting Macalester in a 7 p.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Ochrymowycz Field. It will be the final collegiate home game for SMU seniors Kate Rivers (Richfield, Minn.), Miranda Cole (Barrington, N.H.) and Sloane Kuramoto (Rochester, Minn.).