ST. PAUL, Minn. — The fourth quarter has not been kind to the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team this week.
 
Just three days after surrendering 24 points in the game's final 10 minutes in a heartbreaking 69-54 loss to Bethel, the game's final quarter haunted the Cardinals again Saturday afternoon against St. Catherine.
 
Leading by eight, 42-34, after three quarters, the Cardinals were outscored 21-10 in the fourth—including a game-ending, 7-0 run that erased a four-point Saint Mary's lead and lifted St. Catherine to a 55-52 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at Butler Center.
 
Saint Mary's had the upper hand early, scoring the game's first four points and jumping out to a 17-7 lead, before settling for a 17-10 advantage after one quarter.
 
St. Catherine pulled even, 19-19, midway through the second quarter, but the Cardinals outscored the Wildcats 12-9 the rest of the way to take a three-point, 31-28 lead into the locker room at the half.
 
And thanks to an 11-6 scoring edge in the third quarter, the Cardinals took what appeared to be a commanding eight-point cushion with 10 minutes to play. In fact, with six minutes remaining in regulation, the Cardinals had expanded their advantage to 12, 50-38.
 
Over those final six minutes, however, the Cardinals managed just one basket—a jumper by Sam Jones (White Bear Lake, Minn.)—as St. Catherine ended the game on a 17-2, including scoring the game's final seven points to earn the come-from-behind win.
 
Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) scored a team-high 18 points and added 14 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season, while Jones chipped in 11 points.
 
Alexis Garcia netted 12 points and LaShay Holt added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Wildcats.
 
The Cardinals (7-9 MIAC, 13-10 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, returning home to the Saint Mary's Gym for a 7 p.m. showdown against St. Thomas.