WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's hockey team has learned one lesson the hard way this season — when Bethel scores, the Royals score in bunches.
 
Just four days after erupting for four third-period goals in dealing the Cardinals a 4-1 setback in Blaine, Minn., the Royals were at it again in the rematch on Wednesday — scoring the game's only two goals in the second period in dealing Saint Mary's a 2-0 nonconference setback at the Saint Mary's Ice Arena.
 
Neither team could find the back of the net through the game's first 20 minutes — thanks to the play of Saint Mary's goalie Ary Ziakas (Palatine, Ill.) and her counterpart at the other end, Baleigh Shuck. Ziakas closed out the first period stopping all seven BU shots, while Shuck kicked out all six Cardinal attempts.
 
Bethel turned up the offensive pressure in the second period, peppering Ziakas with 12 shots on goal — and came out of the period boasting a 2-0 lead.
 
Alex Belde broke the scoreless deadlock four minutes into the second period with her third of the season, and Grace Halvorson tacked on her third of the year at 16:03 to give the Royals their two-goal advantage heading into the third stanza.
 
Ziakas returned to her brickwall self in the final period, stopping all nine BU shots. Problem was, the Cardinals could not solve Shuck, who completed her 21-save shutout with a seven-save effort over the final 20 minutes.
 
The Cardinals (1-5-2 overall) are back in action this weekend, hosting Saint Benedict in a 4 p.m. conference matchup on Saturday at the SMU Ice Arena, before heading to the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., for a 2 p.m. showdown with the Tommies on Sunday.