WINONA, Minn. — If Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer coach Neil Cassidy was worried about any ill effects from his squad's heartbreaking 2-1, overtime loss to Ripon last Sunday, the Cardinals quickly put those fears to rest.
 
Very quickly.
 
The Cardinals erupted for two goals in the game's opening four minutes—and four goals in the first 15—as Saint Mary's cruised to a 7-1 nonconference win over Bethany Lutheran Wednesday at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Saint Mary's quickly took control, getting goals from Erin McElligott (New York City, N.Y.) and Emily Loof (Colorado Springs, Colo.) before the game was four minutes old, and Mary Loy (Burien, Wash.) and Loof found the back of the net just over a minute apart 11 minutes later to quickly push the Cardinal lead to 4-0.
 
Nicole Moldstad beat Cardinal goalkeeper Gabriella Pederson (Chaska, Minn.) to cut the deficit to 4-1, but Mackenzie Waters (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) answered with her second of the season in the 48^th minute to give Saint Mary's a commanding 5-1 lead at the break.
 
Loof completed her second collegiate hat trick—both coming against Bethany Lutheran—with her third goal in the 79^th minute, and Becca Dup rounded out the scoring with her second of the season seven minutes later.
 
Along with their goals, Loy and Dup also chipped in a pair of assists—it was Dup's second two-assist game this season, while it Loy's first.
 
Pederson finished with a pair of saves in recording her second win in as many starts in goal for the Cardinals, while BLC goalkeeper Averi Cash stopped six Saint Mary's shots.
 
The Cardinals (2-1-0 overall) are back in action this weekend, hosting the M Club Weekend/BIG Athletics Tournament. Saint Mary's will face Finlandia at 2 p.m. on Sept. 9, before squaring off against either Nebraska Wesleyan or Martin Luther the following day at 4 p.m.