Box Score  | GameDay Preview

MEQUON, Wis. — For the second time in as many days, the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team found itself holding a 2-1 lead in the third period.

This time around, however, then end result was much more satisfying.

Less than 24 hours after surrendering five third-period goals in a 5-3 nonconference loss at St. Norbert, the Cardinals picked up their first win of the season, turning that 2-1 third-period advantage into a 4-1 victory over Concordia-Wis.

“We played much better today,” said SMU coach Terry Mannor. “The intensity level — from start to finish — was better and our overall play at both ends of the ice was better.

“We got goals from a lot of different people — which is always nice — and Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.) picked up her first win in goal. All-in-all, it was a great effort.”

After a scoreless first period, the Cardinals' Haley Coolsaet (Grosse Island, Mich.) netted the only goal of the second stanza, as SMU headed into the final 20 minutes with a 1-0 advantage.

Concordia's Olivia Vogel pulled the Falcons even with her first of the season at 3:20, but the Cardinals regained the lead on McKenna Parent's (Ham Lake, Minn.) first collegiate goal at 14:50. SMU would add a pair of empty-net goals — the first by Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.) and the second by Coolsaet — late to secure the victory.

Herrmann finished with 20 saves — including 11 in the third period — en route to her first collegiate win in her first collegiate start — while CUW goalie Kaitlyn Evans tallied 28 saves in goal for the Falcons.

The Cardinals (1-1-0 overall) are now off until Nov. 9, when they travel to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7 p.m. Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Hamline.