By MEAGHAN UPDIKE
Saint Mary's Sports Information Intern

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's basketball team headed into Thursday's matchup against St. Olaf on the heels of a pair of games decided by a combined eight points.

With the Cardinals coming out on top both times.

Thursday evening, the Cardinals found themselves in the midst of yet another fight-to-the finish — this one decided by just seven points.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, this time around, the end result did not go in their favor, as the Oles used a 33-point fourth quarter in dealing Saint Mary's a 78-71 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at the Saint Mary's Gym.

St. Olaf held the lead for move of the first quarter, but Rachel Kedl (Lamberton, Minn.) took the lead back for Saint Mary's, sinking a pair of free throws with three minutes remaining for a 9-7 advantage. The Cardinals would score five of the final nine points of the opening quarter to grab a three-point, 14-11 lead.

The Oles managed to regain the lead, but only briefly, as Brooklyn Paulson (Holmen, Wis.) knocked down a pair of 3-pointers to put Saint Mary's out front, 20-16.

The Cardinals, however, could not shake the Oles, who whittled away at the Saint Mary's lead, finally pulling even, 30-30, at the half.

Saint Mary's appeared to have thing under control — thanks to a strong third quarter — as the Cardinals pushed their lead to nine, 54-45 heading into the game's final 10 minutes.

Ten minutes that the Oles would dominate.

Trailing by eight, 58-50 with just over eight minutes reminaing, the Oles got to work, using a 12-3 run — capped by a K'Lynn Lewis layup — to give St. Olaf a one-point, 62-61 lead with 4:30 remaining.

Saint Mary's would regain the lead, 63-62 on a pair of free throws by Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.), but the Oles weren't finished, scoring seven unanswered points for a 69-63 advantage — and the Cardinals would get no closer than three the rest of the way.

Paulson led Saint Mary's with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, while Blattner also scored in double digits, netting 13 points, including three 3-pointers.

The Cardinals (8-5 MIAC, 12-8 overall) are back in action on Saturday, heading to Minneapolis, Minn., for a 1 p.m. conference matchup against Augsburg at Si Melby Hall.