By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PETER, Minn. — Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament semifinal between the Saint Mary's University and Gustavus women's hockey teams could have easily been billed as a modern day David vs. Goliath.
 
After all, the Gusties — the Goliath of the MIAC — took to the ice Saturday as a 16-time regular-season conference champion, including the 2019-20 season … winners of seven straight and 20 games on the season … owners of a No. 4 national ranking … and boasting a microscopic 0.95 goals-against-average with eight shutouts — including each of their last three contests.
 
Winners of back-to-back 4-1 victories, including a win over St. Thomas in the conference tournament-opener, the Cardinals — who waited until the final day of the regular season to lock up the fifth and final postseason invitation —  certainly fit the role of the MIAC's David.
 
In the biblical version, however, David was armed with a slingshot in taking down the mighty Goliath. The Cardinals, on the other hand, found themselves armed with a six-shooter with just one bullet.
 
And one bullet was not enough to bring down the Gusties.
 
Gustavus scored three unanswered goals — including two in a span of less than two minutes early in the third period — as the Gusties pulled away to deal the Cardinals a 4-1 setback at the Don Roberts Ice Rink.
 
The Gusties did not wait long to begin flexing their muscles, as Gustavus outshot the Cardinals 13-5 in the game's opening 20 minutes — and scored the only goal of the period on a Bailey Holland tally at 7:30 of the frame.
 
Saint Mary's took advantage of the between periods intermission, and the well-rested Cardinals wasted no time getting the equalizer, as Carson Sheridan (Waunakee, Wis.) netted her fourth goal of the season just 46 seconds into the middle period. Sheridan took a feed from Anya Hafiz (Woodbury, Minn.) and rifled a shot from the right circle that beat GAC goalie Katie McCoy to the glove side.
 
The Cardinals nearly took a 2-1 lead with less than 12 minutes remaining, but Sophia Zebro's (Oak Grove, Minn.) wrister clanked off the goal post.
 
Unfortunately, instead of owning a one-goal advantage, the Cardinals found themselves staring at a one-goal deficit five minutes later, as Gustavus' Kayla Vrieze scored a power-play goal to give the Gusties a 2-1 lead head into the game's final 20 minutes.
 
And the Gustavus advantage quickly ballooned to three, 4-1, as Hailey Holland completed her hat trick with back-to-back goals less than two minutes apart before the third period was even five minutes old — and the Cardinals never recovered.
 
Ziakas finished with 26 saves in goal for the Cardinals, while McCoy stopped 12 of Saint Mary's 13 shots on goal. Gustavus held a 30-13 advantage in shots on goal, while going 2-for-3 on the power play. Saint Mary's, meanwhile, went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
 
With the loss, the Cardinals, who were making their second straight MIAC Tournament appearance — and were ousted from postseason play by the Gusties for the second straight year — closed out the season with a 10-14-3 overall record. Gustavus, meanwhile, improved to 21-3-2 overall and will host Augsburg — 2-1 winners over Hamline in overtime — in the MIAC Tournament championship game next Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Don Roberts Ice Rink in St. Peter, Minn.
 
 
 
 
T, 2-2, L, 5-1 – managed just four shots on goal
L, 5-0 in last year's MIAC Tournament
GAC owns 0.95 GAA w/ 8 shutouts — including last three games
Has outscored opponents 26-4 during seven-game winning streak.