Box Score  | GameDay Preview

LA CROSSE, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team had an answer for UW-La Crosse's Kelly Denk — once.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they didn't have an answer the second time around, as Denk's second goal of the game in the 51st minute broke a 1-1 tie and sparked UW-La Crosse to a 3-1 nonconference win over SMU at Veterans Memorial Sports Complex Wednesday evening.

Denk netted the only goal of the first half, beating SMU goalkeeper Aubrie Cornell (Holts Summit, Mo.) for her first of the season in the 30th minute.

The Cardinals didn't waste any time pulling even with the Eagles coming out of the halftime break, as Kelli Harstad (Hampton, Minn.) netted her second of the season off an assist from Bethany Schmidt (Sparta, Wis.) three minutes into the second half to tie the game at 1-1.

The deadlock did not last long, however, as Denk found the back of the net again three minutes after Harstad's goal to give UW-L the lead for good, 2-1.  Mackenzie Pokorny then pushed the Eagles' lead to 3-1 — off an assist from Denk — in the 66th minute to close out the scoring.

Cornell, making her eighth start of the season, finished with a career-high 13 saves in goal for the Cardinals — two more than her previous career-best 11-save effort against Loras on Oct. 9.

The Cardinals return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, traveling to St. Joseph, Minn., for a 1 p.m. showdown with Saint Benedict.