Box Score  | GameDay Preview

WINONA, Minn. — Thanks in part to an early second-half goal by Caroline Blackwood (Norwalk, Ohio), the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team was poised to record its first win of the season Saturday afternoon.

In a span of 10 minutes, however, the Cardinals' dream of that elusive first win was transformed into a real-life nightmare.

St. Catherine scored the game-tying goal with five minutes remaining in regulation, then notched the game-winner five minutes into overtime, as the Wildcats dealt Saint Mary's a heartbreaking 2-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.

After a scoreless first half, Blackwood got the Cardinals on the board seven minutes into the second stanza, drilling a shot past St. Catherine goalkeeper Danielle Mendez for her second goal of the season.

SMU made that one-goal lead stand up until the game's 85th minute, when Nina Bukowski headed a cross from teammate Kristi Thorwick over the outstretched arms of SMU goalkeeper Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.) to knot the game at 1-1.

Elly Leyva then completed the Wildcats' come-from-behind win five minutes into the first extra session, beating Halling with a shot into the upper right-hand corner.

Halling finished with six saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Mendez stopped two of the three SMU shots she faced in the Wildcat goal.

The Cardinals return to action on Wednesday, traveling to Northfield, Minn., for a 4 p.m. conference game against St. Olaf.