NORTHFIELD, Minn. — All the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team needed Friday evening was a wake-up call.
 
And seven minutes into the opening period against St. Olaf, that's exactly what the Cardinals goal, as Caroline Ponessa scored to put the Oles out front 1-0.
 
From there, however, it was all Saint Mary's, as the wide-awake Cardinals scored four of game's final five goals in handing St. Olaf a 4-2 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the Northfield Ice Arena.
 
"It may not have been our prettiest performances, but we found a way to get the win," said Saint Mary's coach Terry Mannor. "Our game really picked up in the third period—and that's the type of effort we are going to need from start-to-finish tomorrow."
 
Jamie Henderson answered Ponessa's goal with a goal of her own—her team-leading sixth of the season—three minutes later to knot the game at 1-1. Breanna Peterson (Macomb, Mich.) added her third of the year with less than a minute remaining to give Saint Mary's a 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes.
 
Drue Engelman pulled the Oles even, 2-2, midway through the second period, but the Cardinals answered with back-to-back goals by Kassie Lien (Grantsburg, Wis.) and Peterson three minutes apart early in the third period to ice the win.
 
Tori Herrmann (Elk River, Minn.) finished with 22 saves in goal for the Cardinals, while St. Olaf goalie Cassie Alexander stopped 27 of Saint Mary' 31 shots—including 13 in the third period, when the Cardinals boasted a 15-8 edge in shots on goal.
 
The Cardinals (6-4-1 MIAC, 8-8-2 overall) return home on Saturday in search of the conference sweep, as Saint Mary's entertains St. Olaf in a 2 p.m. MIAC contest at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.