WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer team returns to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, hosting Bethel in a 3:30 p.m. contest at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-2-0 MIAC | 2-5-0 Overall) vs. Bethel Royals (0-2-0 MIAC | 2-5-0 Overall)
 
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Last Action:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals gave up a pair of second-half goals—in a driving rain storm—as UW-Stout handed Saint Mary's a 2-0 nonconference setback Wednesday in Menomonie, Wis. | Recap
• Bethel: The Royals surrendered three unanswered goals—including the game-winner in double-overtime—as UW-La Crosse handed BU a 3-2 nonconference setback Wednesday evening at Ona Orth Athletic Complex in Arden Hills, Minn. | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Bethel—Their Last Meeting:
• October 18, 2014 * Arden Hills, Minn.: After matching the Royals—who were coming off a 2-0 victory over 12th-ranked Concordia earlier in the week—blow-for-blow, it appeared that their conference match would be headed to the first of a possible two 10-minute overtime periods. BU's Jessica Huseby, however, had other ideas, scoring the game's only goal with just nine seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Royals to a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals at the Ona Orth Athletic Complex | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals return to their home turf on Wednesday, hosting Gustavus in a 7 p.m. MIAC game at Ochrymowycz Field.
• Bethel: The Royals are back at Ona Orth Athletic Complex in Arden Hills, Minn., on Wednesday, as Bethel hosts Carleton in a 4 p.m. conference contest.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2015 Roster | 2015 Statistics | 2015 Schedule
• After back-to-back road games, the Cardinals return home on Saturday to face the Royals. … Five of the Cardinals' last seven wins have come on their home turf. … The Cardinals' 2-1 win over Carroll on Sept. 12 marked the only time in the first seven games that the outcome has not been decided by shutout. In their other six games, Saint Mary's has beaten UW-Superior (4-0), while falling to UW-River Falls (2-0), Luther (3-0), Augsburg (1-0), Saint Benedict (5-0), and UW-Stout (2-0) … Aubrie Cornell (Columbia, Mo.) finished with eight saves against the Blue Devils Wednesday. The eight-save effort was one shy of her season high—Cornell has posted nine-save efforts against both Carroll and Augsburg. … Cornell stopped all four shots she faced against UW-Superior on Sept. 5 en route to her first collegiate shutout. … Cornell has now started all seven games in goal for the Cardinals, compiling a 2.00 goals-against-average, while making 41 saves. … Janis Martinez (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Emma Schaefer (Roseville, Minn.) accounted for the Cardinals' two goals in their 2-1 win over Carroll on Sept. 12. … Emily Loof (Colorado Springs, Colo.) had an assist on both Saint Mary's goals vs. Carroll. It was Loof's fourth career multiple-point game—and her first two-assist game. … Schaefer's goal vs. Carroll was her team-leading third of the season, one more than Martinez. … Schaefer and Martinez have accounted for five of the team's six goals. Becca Dup (Albert Lea, Minn.) owns Saint Mary's other goal. … Schaefer scored a pair of goals against UW-Superior on Sept. 5. It was the second multiple-goal game of Schaefer's career—the junior recorded her first collegiate hat trick in the Cardinals' 7-0 win over UW-Superior a year ago. … Caroline Blackwood (Norwalk, Ohio) recorded the second multiple-point game of her career, picking up assists on two of the Cardinals' four goals vs. UW-Superior on Sept. 5. … The Cardinals have scored four of their six goals this season in the first half, while Saint Mary's opponents have netted eight of 14 goals in the game's opening 45 minutes. … Saint Mary's 2-0 loss to UW-River Falls on Sept. 1 marked the second straight season the Cardinals and Falcons opened the season with the winner scoring two goals—Saint Mary's beat UWRF 2-1 in the 2014 season-opener.
 
Scouting The Bethel Royals:
2015 Roster | 2015 Statistics | 2015 Schedule
• Wednesday's loss to UW-La Crosse was the Royals' third straight setback. … The Royals snapped a two-game scoreless drought with their two goals vs. UW-La Crosse Wednesday—BU had been shutout by both St. Olaf (3-0) and St. Thomas (2-0) in its previous two games. … Bethel has been blanked in three of its five losses, while falling 3-2 in its other two setbacks. On the flip side, the Royals have outscored their opponents 10-3 in their two wins—including a season-high eight goals in a season-opening 8-2 win over North Central (Minn.). … Savannah Swanson and Mikela Smith netted BU's two goals vs. UW-La Crosse Wednesday. … Smith's goal vs. the Eagles Wednesday was her third of the season, moving her into a tie for the team lead with Mikayla Nordin. … Smith also had an assist on Swanson's goal vs. UW-L, giving her a team-leading eight points through seven games. … Smith, Swanson, Sydney Wright, and Samantha Provost all share the team lead in assists with two each. … Kathryn McGaffey and Jess Gapinski have shared the goalkeeping duties for the Royals this season, with Gapinski owning a 2.30 goals-against-average in three starts, while McGaffey boasts a 2.55 GAA in four starts. … Gapinski also owns a team-high 23 saves. … The Royals have outscored their opponents 10-5 in the first half, but have been outscored 12-4 after halftime. … Wednesday's 2 OT loss to UW-La Crosse was the Royals' first overtime game of the season.