MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey coach Terry Mannor said the difference in Friday's 4-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference loss to eighth-ranked St. Thomas wasn't physical, it was mental.
 
In the teams' rematch on Saturday, the Cardinals were mentally—and physically—perfect.
 
Thanks in large part to the play of goalie Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.).
 
Herrmann stopped everything the Tommies threw at her, as the junior recorded a season-high 43 saves—one shy of her collegiate best—for her second collegiate shutout in helping Saint Mary's to a 0-0 overtime tie at the St. Thomas Ice Arena.
 
"We played really well today," said Saint Mary's coach Terry Mannor, whose Cardinals have now recorded 0-0 ties twice in the last three seasons—also battling Concordia to a 0-0 deadlock on Feb. 15, 2013. "We talked a lot after last night's game about the mental errors, and they really responded today.
 
"It was like night-and-day—this was so much more like the way we are capable of playing, and I'm proud of the effort everyone on this team put forth today."
 
Herrmann was certainly busy early, stopping 15 UST shots in the first period and 19 more in the second en route to her 43-save effort. St. Thomas goalie Paige Kittelson, meanwhile, stopped all 29 Cardinal shots.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-1 MIAC, 0-3-1 overall) return to conference play next weekend, hosting Saint Benedict for a pair of MIAC games. Saint Mary's and CSB square off for a 7 p.m. contest on Friday, before completing the two-game series with a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday. Both games will be played at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.