By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team returns home to Ochrymowycz Field on Saturday, as the Cardinals entertain Saint Benedict in a 3:30 p.m. conference matchup.
 
The Matchup:
• Saint Mary's Cardinals (0-4-0 MIAC, 5-4-0 Overall) vs. Saint Benedict (2-0-1 MIAC, 5-2-2 Overall)
 
GameDay Live On The Web:
• Live Stats * Live Video
 
Last Action:
• Saint Mary's — October 2, 2019 * Northfield, Minn.: Jordyn Matthews (Seattle, Wash.) scored three times — including the game-tying goal with less than 20 seconds remaining in regulation — but it was not enough, as St. Olaf netted the game-winner with 1:25 left in the second overtime to deal the Cardinals a 4-3 conference setback at Rolf Melby Field | Recap
• Saint Benedict — September 28, 2019 * St. Joseph, Minn.: The Bennies attempted 30 shots — including 12 that found the net — but they could not convert any into goals, as CSB battled Macalester to a 0-0, double-overtime tie at the CSB Soccer Field | Recap
 
Saint Mary's vs. Saint Benedict — Their Last Meeting:
• October 6, 2018 * Winona, Minn.: Maura Michener (Winona, Minn.) netted her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the Cardinals' MIAC showdown against Saint Benedict. Unfortunately, the Bennies had found the back of the net three times before Michener's goal in the 73rd minute, as CSB dealt the Cardinals a 3-1 setback at Ochrymowycz Field | Recap
 
Up Next:
• Saint Mary's: The Cardinals are back on their home turf at Ochrymowycz Field on Monday, hosting UW-Superior in a 7 p.m. nonconference game.
• Saint Benedict: The Bennies are now off until next Saturday, when they host Gustavus in a 3:30 p.m. MIAC matchup at CSB Soccer Field in St. Joseph, Minn.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Saturday's game against Saint Benedict is the first of back-to-back home games for the Cardinals, who sport a 3-2-0 record on their home turf. … All four of the Cardinals' losses this season have been by one goal — including last Wednesday's 4-3, double-overtime loss to St. Olaf. Saint Mary's other three losses include a 1-0 setback to Augsburg and 2-1 losses to both St. Catherine and Gustavus — with both 2-1 games decided in the final three minutes of regulation. … Saint Mary's three goals in last Wednesday's loss to St. Olaf were the most scored in a loss since netting three in a 6-3 setback to No. 9 Loras on Oct. 9, 2013. … Jordyn Matthews (Seattle, Wash.) recorded her first collegiate hat trick last Wednesday, accounting for all three Cardinal goals in the 4-3, double-overtime loss to St. Olaf. … Matthews' hat trick vs. St. Olaf last Wednesday was the Cardinals' first since Emily Loof netted three goals against Bethany Lutheran on 6, 2017. … Matthews has now recorded three multiple-goal games this season, having netted two goals against both Marian on Sept. 6 and Ripon two days later. … With her three goals against the Oles, Matthews pushed her team-leading total to 10, while Kassie Arriaga (Chula Vista, Calif.), Nicole Thompson (Riverside, Calif.), and Mary Loy (Burien, Wash.) are all second with two each. Melina Rodriguez (Des Moines, Iowa), and Kendall Archer (Draper, Utah) have netted the team's other two goals. … Matthews also leads the team in points with 23, while sharing the team lead in assists (3) with Thompson. … Matthews scored the Cardinals' first goal of the season, finding the back of the net at 31:39 of the opening half against Edgewood on Aug. 30. It was not only the Cardinals' first goal of the season, but also the first of Matthews' SMU career. … Loy's goal against Ripon on Sept. 6 was her second game-winning goal of the season and sixth game-winning goal in the last two seasons. She led the Cardinals with four game-winners a year ago. … Thompson scored her first collegiate goal and added an assist for her first multiple-point game in a Cardinal uniform in Saint Mary's 3-0 win over Martin Luther on Sept. 14. … Gabriella Pederson (Chaska, Minn.), who made a season-high six saves against St. Catherine on Sept. 17 — including five in the second half — has played every minute in goal for the Cardinals, compiling a 1.09 goals-against-average and .706 save percentage. … Pederson picked up her fourth shutout of the season — and 11th of her collegiate career — with a three-save effort against UW-Stout on Sept. 25. … Saint Mary's has scored 11 of its 18 goals in the second half, while Saint Mary's opponents have netted five goals in the first half and five after halftime. … Four of the Cardinals' five wins this season have been by shutout. …  Saint Mary's 2-1 loss to St. Catherine on Sept. 17 snapped the Cardinals' season-opening four-game winning streak. It was the first time since the 2009 season that Saint Mary's had opened the year with four consecutive wins. … Saint Mary's loss to St. Catherine on Sept. 17 was its second straight one-goal loss to the Wildcats, who beat the Cardinals in 3-2 in double overtime a year ago. … With their 3-0 win over Martin Luther on Sept. 14, the Cardinals improved to 6-0-0 all-time vs. the Knights — outscoring MLC 34-5 in their six meetings. … Fueled by their 4-0-0 start, the Cardinals are now 10-1-0 in nonconference play over the last two years — the lone blemish a 2-0 loss to nationally ranked Loras on Sept. 8. … With their 3-0 win over Ripon on Sept. 8, Saint Mary's has now outscored the Red Hawks 30-8 in their last nine meetings. … Saint Mary's 2-1 win over Edgewood on Aug. 30 marked the third straight year in which the Cardinals have won their season opener. … Saint Mary's is coming off an 8-10-0 showing a year ago, including winning three of their last five games. … The Cardinals' eight wins in 2018 were the most since Saint Mary's finished 9-8-1 in 2009.
 
Scouting The Saint Benedict Bennies:
2019 Roster | 2019 Schedule | 2019 Statistics
• Saturday's game at Saint Mary's is the third road contest in the last five games for the Bennies, who suffered both of their losses on the road. CSB is 4-0-1 at home, while going 1-2-1 away from CSB Soccer Field. … Last Saturday's 0-0 deadlock against Macalester pushed Saint Benedict's unbeaten streak to three (2-0-1). … CSB has outscored its opponents 6-1 in during its current three-game run. … Saint Benedict has now played back-to-back overtime games — beating Hamline 2-1 in OT on Sept. 21, before last Saturday's 0-0 stalemate against Macalester. … Megan Thompson has been the Bennies' offensive leader, scoring 11 goals, while also leading the squad with 25 points. … Thompson — whose 11 goals and 25 points are both tops in the conference — has netted all five of the Bennies' game-winning goals. … Thompson has accounted for 11 of the team's 18 goals, with Roxy Veldman and Chloe Miller both second with two goal each. … Veldman and Mara Flaherty share the team lead in assists (3) with Thompson. … Kendall Koenen has started seven of the team's nine games in goal, compiling a 1.53 goals-against-average and .718 save percentage. … Koenen has stopped 28 of the 39 shots she's faced. … Kayli Thulin (0.00 GAA, 1.000 save %) and Paige Kahlmeyer (0.90 GAA, .878 save %) have each made one start between the pipes for the Bennies. … Saint Benedict has outscored its opponents 7-3 in the first half, while holding a 11-10 edge after halftime. … CSB has played three overtime games this season — beating Hamline 2-1, while tying Luther and Macalester.