By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
NORTHFIELD, Minn. — As if playing St. Olaf on the road in a key Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup wasn't tough enough, the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team had to do so in a relentless, driving rain Wednesday afternoon.
 
And, unfortunately for the Cardinals, not even a three-goal haymaker from Jordyn Matthews (Seattle, Wash.) could stop the Ole-Mother Nature one-two punch, as St. Olaf scored the game-winning goal with 1:25 remaining in the second overtime in beating Saint Mary's 4-3 at Rolf Melby Field.
 
St. Olaf got on the scoreboard first on a goal by Hayley Hoffmann in the 14^th minute, but the Oles' lead would last just 10 minutes. Matthews — off a feed from Nicole Thompson (Riverside, Calif.) — rifled a shot over St. Olaf goalkeeper Brynne Davis for her team-leading eighth goal of the season to knot the game at 1-1.
 
Eight minutes later, Matthews was at it again, beating Davis for a second time — this one assisted by Kendall Archer (Draper, Utah) — to give the Cardinals' their first lead of the game, 2-1.
 
Once again the lead was short-lived, however, as St. Olaf's Claire Bash converted a penalty kick less than four minutes after Matthews' second tally to pull the Oles' even, 2-2.
 
After a four-goal first half, neither team had much offensive success in the second half — until the final six minutes, that is.
 
Grace Maxwell gave St. Olaf its second lead of the game, 3-2, with 6:02 remaining in regulation — and it appeared as if the Oles would maintain that one-goal advantage over the final six minutes.
 
Matthews, however, had other ideas.
 
The sophomore pulled the Cardinals even once again — this time in dramatic fashion, completing her first collegiate hat trick with just 12 seconds on the clock to send the game into overtime.
 
After a scoreless first overtime — and a scoreless 8:25 of the second OT — the Oles stole a page out of Matthews' playbook, getting the game-winner off the foot of Bash with 1:25 to play to give St. Olaf the win.
 
Gabriella Pederson (Chaska, Minn.) finished with two saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Davis made saves and Grace Sprangers stopped four Saint Mary's shots in relief.
 
The Cardinals (0-4-0 MIAC, 5-4-0 overall) are back on their home turf at Ochrymowycz Field on Saturday, entertaining Saint Benedict in a 3:30 p.m. MIAC contest. The Oles (3-1-0 MIAC, 6-3-1 overall), meanwhile, hit the road on Saturday, heading to St. Peter, Minn., for a 3:30 conference showdown against Gustavus.