ST. PAUL, Minn. — Heading into Wednesday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with Hamline, the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team had surrendered 21 first-half goals through its first 16 games.
 
On the flip side, the host Pipers had scored 14 of its 18 goals this season in the game's opening 45 minutes.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their first-half Achilles' heel—and the Pipers' propensity for first-half offensive successes—played out once again, as Hamline scored twice in the first half and never relinquished the lead in handing Saint Mary's a 2-0 conference setback at Paterson Field.
 
It appeared like the Cardinals may escape their first-half woes, as the two teams battled to a scoreless deadlock through the first 39 minutes. But in a five-minute span, the Pipers turned that 0-0 stalemate into a 2-0 advantage.
 
Corinne Henning got the Pipers on the board with her third goal of the season in the game's 40th minute, and Lolly Higa added their second of the game—with five seconds remaining until halftime—to give Hamline a two-goal cushion heading into the break.
 
Victoria Perez (Upland, Calif.) started in goal for the Cardinals, making a pair of saves, while Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.) came on in relief in the second half and stopped the lone Hamline shot she faced. Erin Urbanowicz stopped all three Saint Mary's shots in recording the shutout in goal for the Pipers.
 
The Cardinals (0-9-1 MIAC, 5-11-1 overall) close out their 2014 schedule on Saturday, hosting Macalester in a 1 p.m. conference game at Ochrymowycz Field.