Box Score  | GameDay Preview

MOORHEAD, Minn. — For the second game in a row, Concordia put up a brick wall in front of its net Saturday afternoon.

Unfortunately for the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team, this time around, the Cardinals did not have an answer.

Less than 24 hours after battling the Cobbers to a 0-0 overtime tie — the first in program history — the Cardinals surrendered two first-period goals and never recovered, falling to Concordia 4-0 in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at the Moorhead Sports Center.

“We actually played better today than we did (Friday night) — and lost,” said SMU coach Terry Mannor. “(Concordia) capitalized on their opportunities — and they were very good opportunities. They play a very aggressive game and they forced us into mental mistakes,.

“The past four games have been a great learning experience for our young team,” Mannor added. “Hopefully we can regroup and close out the season on a high note next weekend (against Bethel).”

After 65 minutes of scoreless hockey on Friday, the Cobbers wasted little time getting on the board in the teams' rematch on Saturday, as Jenna Westerham netted her third of the season just 4:31 into the opening period.

Anna Westmark also found the back of the net in the first period, before Westerham added her second of the game in the second period and Kelsey Vandegrift tallied a third-period goal to round out the scoring.

Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.), who stopped 34 shots in recording her first collegiate shutout on Friday, followed that effort up with a career-high 44-save showing against the Cobbers on Saturday. Madison Denny, meanwhile, kicked out all 22 SMU shots in posting Concordia's second straight shutout.

The Cardinals (4-10-2 MIAC, 6-13-2) close out their regular season next weekend, traveling to the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., for a 7 p.m. MIAC contest against Bethel on Friday, before hosting the Royals in a 2 p.m. rematch on Saturday at the SMU Ice Arena.