Box Score  | GameDay Preview

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team got its final weekend off to a roaring start on Saturday, as the Cardinals got a pair of second-period goals and held off Hamline's third-period rally to beat the Pipers 2-1 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at the Warner Coliseum.

"I thought we played pretty well," said SMU coach Terry Mannor. "We had a bit of a letdown in the third period, which allowed (Hamline) to get back in it, but overall I was pleased with our effort."

After a scoreless first period, the Cardinals appeared to put the game out of reach, getting back-to-back second-period goals from Katie Ehlenfeldt (Beaver Dam, Wis.) and Macki Fadness (Eau Claire, Wis.) to take a commanding 2-0 advantage into the locker room after two periods.

Hamline, which managed just seven shots in the first two periods combined — including two shots in the second stanza — pelted the SMU net with 11 third-period shots, finally getting on past SMU goalie Sarah Gustafson (Esko, Minn.) on a goal by Corrine Henning with 8:16 remaining to make it a one-goal game.

That, however, would be the last time the Pipers would solve Gustafson, who finished with 17 saves in recording the victory in goal.

The Cardinals, who improve to 6-11-0 in conference play and 8-15-1 overall, close out the regular season — and bid farewell to graduating seniors Gustafson, Brooke Bartelt (New Prague, Minn.), Haley Coolsaet (Grosse Ile, Mich.), Heidi Martin (Ankeny, Iowa) and Brittany Therrien (Brooklyn Park, Minn.)  — at 2 p.m. Sunday, as SMU hosts Hamline in the second game of their two-game MIAC series at the SMU Ice Arena.