Box Score  | GameDay Preview

BLAINE, Minn. — After holding high-flying Bethel to just one goal in their first meeting with the Royals on Friday, Saint Mary's University women's hockey coach Terry Mannor was looking for a repeat performance from his Cardinals when the two teams squared off again on Saturday.

And they nearly did.

Bethel — owners of the No. 1 spot in the MIAC in all three individual scoring categories, while also boasting five of the MIAC's top six point-getters — managed just two goals against SMU in their rematch on Saturday.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that was two too many, as the Royals earned a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference split, handing SMU a 2-0 setback at the Schwan's Super Rink.

Unlike Friday night, when the Cardinals got on the board first with a goal by Macki Fadness (Eau Claire, Wis.) — it was the Royals who grabbed a 1-0 lead after the game's opening 20 minutes in the teams' rematch, as Lauren Kolak found the back of the net with less than five minutes remaining in the stanza.

The Royals would push their advantage to 2-0 on a goal by Karly Vohden less than two minutes into the second period — and Bethel made the two-goal lead stand up.

Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) finished with 17 saves for the Cardinals, while Erika Allen stopped all 15 SMU shots for the shutout in goal for Bethel.

SMU (3-5-0 MIAC, 5-9-1 overall) are back in action next Friday, when they host league-leading and defending conference champion Gustavus in a 7 p.m. MIAC contest at the SMU Ice Arena. SMU and GAC will then travel to St. Peter, Minn., on Saturday for a 2 p.m. rematch at Don Roberts Ice Arena.