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ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team got second-period goals from Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.) and Dana Kreuser (Maplewood, Minn.), but it was not enough, as Saint Benedict scored the game's first three goals and held off the Cardinals 3-2 at the St. Cloud Municipal Athletic Complex.

“It's the same old story,” said SMU coach Terry Mannor. “We controlled play virtually from start to finish, but we couldn't get the job done.”

The Cardinals found themselves staring at a 3-0 second-period hole, as the Blazers got a first-period power-play goal from Rachel Walz, and goals by Kerri Graske and Alexandra Carlson in the game's middle frame.

Peterson and Kreuser would get the Cardinals within one, 3-2 — scoring back-to-back goals 1:09 apart in the second period's final two minutes — but that was as close as SMU would get.

“It's frustrating, because we certainly played well enough to win,” said Mannor, whose team will get another shot at the Blazers on Saturday, as the same two teams square off for a 2 p.m. MIAC contest at the St. Cloud Municipal Athletic Complex. “We've just got to find a way to dominate in that one aspect that matters the most — on the scoreboard.”

Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 25 saves for the Cardinals, while CSB goalie Kaitlyn Rolando kicked out 32 of SMU's 34 shots.