Box Score  | GameDay Preview

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — Less than two minutes — 1:33 to be exact.

That was the difference between the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat for the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team Saturday afternoon against Saint Benedict.

The Blazers scored two goals in a span of 1:33 early in the second half — then held off a furious SMU second-half comeback in handing the Cardinals a 2-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback.

Taylor Hedin got the Blazers on the scoreboard in the game's 23rd minute, completing a Laura Koch-to-Colleen Bouchard tic-tac-toe passing play with a shot that beat SMU goalkeeper Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.).

Bouchard set up CSB's second goal just over a minute later, as Val Clintsman tapped a Bouchard pass past Halling to give the Blazers a 2-0 advantage.

Trailing 2-0, the Cardinal defense stiffened, the SMU's offense came to life, as Bethany Schmidt (Sparta, Wis.) netted her team-leading third goal of the season just two minutes into the second half — off an assist from Kelli Harstad (Hampton, Minn.) — to get the Cardinals within one, 2-1.

That, however, would be as close as the Cardinals would come, as CSB clung to that one-goal advantage over the game's final 47 minutes to seal the win.

Halling finished with nine saves — including eight in the second half — for the Cardinals, who are back in action on Wednesday, returning to Ochrymowycz Field for their final home game of the season, a 7:30 p.m. MIAC showdown against Hamline.