By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — For the second game in a row, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and Saint Benedict women's hockey teams headed into the locker room after one period with one team leading 3-0.
 
Unlike Friday's 3-0 scenario — in which the Cardinals were the goal-scorers — it was the Bennies who enjoyed the high-scoring opening 20 minutes, and they never took their foot off the gas.
 
Saint Benedict scored the game's first four goals — including those three in the first period — as the Bennies handed the Cardinals a 5-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Saturday afternoon at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
"We did not play well from start-to-finish," said Saint Mary's coach Greg Moore. "I don't know if we were overconfident after (Friday's 3-0 win), but you have to give Saint Benedict credit, they came out and really played hard."
 
The Bennies scored just 3:59 into the opening period on a goal by Julia Pias, and less than four minutes later, CSB tacked on goal No. 2, this one off the stick of Stave Myka. Saint Benedict completed its three-goal first period with a tally by Annika Brodt at 18:12.
 
Pias would find the back of the net for a second time at 4:14 of the second period to give the Bennies a commanding 4-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.
 
Bailey Wendt (Coon Rapids, Minn.) finally broke the ice for the Cardinals, netting her second of the season — an unassisted tally at 3:18 — but CSB answered 10 minutes later on a goal by Courtney Conlin to round out the scoring.
 
The Cardinals (1-5-0 MIAC, 3-6-0 overall) close out their first-semester schedule next Saturday, hosting UW-Stevens Point in a 7 p.m. nonconference game at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.