DECORAH, Iowa — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer team returns to the road on Wednesday, as the Cardinals head to Luther for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against the Norse.
 
The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (2-1-0 Overall) at Luther Norse (4-0-0 Overall)
 
Last Action:
The Cardinals erupted for five first-half goals and cruised to a 7-0 nonconference win over UW-Superior last Saturday in Superior, Wis. | Recap
Luther erupted for six goals in handing UW-Stevens Point a 6-2 nonconference setback in Decorah, Iowa, last Sunday | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Luther — Their Last Meeting:
September 25, 2013: Katie Holmes scored her first goal of the season in the game's 18th minute to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead over the visiting Norse in the team's nonconference game at Ochrymowycz Field. Luther answered less than a minute later, however — then got the game-winner with 23 minutes remaining in regulation — to lift the Norse to the 2-1 victory | Recap
 
Up Next:
The Cardinals are off until Sept. 16, when they kick off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 7:30 p.m. contest at Augsburg. … The Norse return to action — and to their home turf — on Saturday, hosting Macalester in a 2 p.m. nonconference game.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2014 Roster | 2014 Schedule | 2014 Statistics
The Cardinals' game at Luther is the second of six straight road contests. Saint Mary's will not return to Ochrymowycz Field until Oct. 1 to face Gustavus. … The Cardinals' seven goals against UW-Superior last Saturday were the most since Saint Mary's posted back-to-back 7-0 victories over Ripon and Lakeland on Sept. 4-5, 2010. … Emma Schaefer (Falcon Heights, Minn.) recorded her first collegiate hat trick against UW-Superior last Saturday. The sophomore scored twice in the opening half and added her third on a penalty kick in the second half. … Schaefer's three goals are the most in a game since Amy Sibik netted four goals against Ripon on Sept. 4, 2010. … Emily Loof (Colorado Springs, Colo.) recorded her second two-goal game of the season against UW-Superior last Saturday. … Loof, who scored both goals in the Cardinals' season-opening 2-1 double-overtime win over UW-River Falls on Aug. 31, leads the team in goals (4) and points (9). … Loof and Schaefer have now combined to score seven of the team's nine goals this season. Anna Taylor (St. Paul, Minn.) and Jesse Cwik (Chicago, Ill.) — who netted their first collegiate goals against UW-Superior last Saturday — have accounted for the Cardinals' other two goals. … Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.) stopped the lone shot she faced against UW-Superior last Saturday in recording her first collegiate shutout. … Halling enters Saint Mary's game against Luther boasting a 0.75 goals-against-average and an .846 save percentage. … Victoria Perez (Upland, Calif.) made her first collegiate start in goal against UW-River Falls on Aug. 31, stopping four of the five shots she faced in 45 minutes played. … After failing to score a first-half goal in their first two games, the Cardinals erupted for five in the first half against UW-Superior last Saturday. … The Cardinals' 2-1 win over UW-River Falls on Aug. 31 was their first overtime victory since beating Gustavus 1-0 in double-overtime on Sept. 29, 2009. … 
 
Scouting The Luther Norse:
2014 Roster | 2014 Schedule | 2014 Statistics
Wednesday's game against Saint Mary's is the first of back-to-back games against opponents from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Norse square off against Macalester on Saturday, and also have MIAC foes Carleton and St. Olaf on their 2014 schedule. … Luther's showdown with Saint Mary's is also the third of four straight home games. … The Norse's 6-2 victory over UW-Stevens Point last Sunday not only extended their season-opening winning streak to four straight, but also snapped an 11-game winless streak (0-10-1) against the Pointers. … Luther's 4-0-0 start to the season is its best since 2002, when the Norse rattled off six straight wins. … Ellie Bunz and Melisse Chasse each scored two goals in Luther's 6-2 win over UW-Stevens Point last Sunday. … Chasse enters Wednesday's game vs. Saint Mary's leading the Norse in all three offensive categories — goals (3), assists (3) and points (9). … Molly Hilgart and Lauren Thormodsgard have shared the goalkeeping duties through the season's first four games. Hilgart has not allowed a goal in 150:53 minutes — stopping the lone shot she's faced — while Thormodsgard has compiled a 1.29 goals-against-average with seven saves in 209:07 minutes. … Eight of Luther's 12 goals this season have come in the first half. … Luther's six goals against the Pointers last Saturday were a season high. … Luther has allowed just three goals in its first four games combined.