WINONA, Minn. — After surrendering 81 shots on goal in their previous contest, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's hockey team was in dire need of a shut-down defensive performance Friday evening against Bethel.
 
And the Cardinals did that—to a point—limiting the visiting Royals to just 27 shots on goal.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Royals converted on four of those 27 shots in dealing Saint Mary's a 4-2 setback in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
"I didn't think we played that poor—all-in-all, it was a pretty good college hockey game," said Saint Mary's coach Terry Mannor. "(Bethel) was just able to convert on their chances—and the puck certainly did not bounce our way tonight."
 
Bethel got on the board first, as Hadley Cookson beat Saint Mary's goalie Marah Shields (Milford, Mich.) at 11:38 of the opening period. Jesse Cwik (Chicago, Ill.) pulled Saint Mary's even with her first of the season at 16:25.
 
The Royals, however, had an answer, as Jill Larson answered Cwik's goal just 42 seconds later to give Bethel a 2-1 edge after the first period.
 
Caroline Kivisto pushed the BU lead to 3-1 with the only goal of the third period, but the Cardinals were battle back, getting a power play goal from Katie LeTourneau (White Bear Lake, Minn.) at 17:19 of the third period.
 
That, however, would be as close as the Cardinals would get, as Sarina Goos pushed the Royals' lead back to two, 4-2, with an empty net goal with 34 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Shields—who set a school record with her 79-save effort against UW-Superior on Oct. 31, finished with 23 saves against the Royals, while Bethel goalie Michelle Klimstra stopped 27 of the Cardinals' 29 shots.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-0 MIAC, 1-2-0 Overall) and Royals (1-0-0 MIAC, 1-3-0 Overall) head to the Schwan's Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., on Saturday for the second game of their two-game conference series. Opening face-off is set for 3 p.m.