By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer coach Neil Cassidy could not have asked for a better start to his team's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Bethel Wednesday afternoon.
 
After all, a goal in the game's ninth minute would put a smile on any coach's face.
 
Unfortunately for Cassidy, that smile did not last long, as Bethel rattled off three unanswered goals — two in the first half less than five minutes apart and another in the second half — as the Royals dealt the Cardinals a 3-1 setback at Ona Orth Athletic Complex.
 
Nete Storm Pedersen (Copenhagen, Denmark) picked a perfect time to net her first goal in a Cardinal uniform, as the freshman beat BU goalkeeper Kaylee Peterson in the ninth minute to give Saint Mary's a quick 1-0 advantage.
 
Bethel had an answer, however, Brittney Sipe knotted the game at 1-1 just 10 minutes after Storm Pedersen's tally, and Brittney Monteon added another four minutes later to give the Royals the lead for good, 2-0.
 
Maggie Sipe provided a little breathing room for the Royals, taking a feed from Rachel Waterman and beating Cardinal goalkeeper Gabriella Pederson (Chaska, Minn.) in the 60^th minute to make it a 3-1 BU advantage.
 
Pederson finished with five saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Peterson stopped one of Saint Mary's two shots on goal for the Royals.
 
Saint Mary's (0-3-0 MIAC, 5-4-0 overall) is back in action on Saturday, as the Cardinals return home to Ochryowycz Field for a 1 p.m. conference showdown with St. Catherine.