By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer team gave 15^th-ranked St. Thomas all it could handle over the game's final 45 minutes Wednesday evening.
 
In fact, it was the Cardinals who scored the only goal of the second half in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Unfortunately for coach Neil Cassidy, the first half was not as favorable to his Cardinals, as St. Thomas erupted for three goals in the game's opening 45 minutes in dealing Saint Mary's a 3-1 setback.
 
McKenna Peplinski got the Tommies' offense rolling with her third goal of the season off a corner kick in the 23^rd minute. 10 minutes later, Megan Zickert pushed the UST advantage to 2-0 with her fourth of the season.
 
Kate Heimer tacked on her third of the season with less than two minutes remaining before halftime, as the Tommies took a 3-0 cushion into the break.
 
The Cardinals finally broke through in the 80^th minute, as Kassie Arriaga (Chula Vista, Calif.) took a feed from Mary Loy (Burien, Ill.) and beat UST goalkeeper Olivia Elvidge for her fifth goal of the season.
 
The Cardinals (0-5-0 MIAC, 5-6-0 overall) return to conference play on Saturday, hosting Saint Benedict in a 1 p.m. matchup at Ochrymowycz Field.