RIPON, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team ended the week in much the same fashion the Cardinals started it — with a lopsided victory.
 
Just six days after routing Martin Luther 11-0, Saint Mary's capped their perfect 3-0-0 week with yet another dominating performance in blanking Ripon 5-0.
 
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 5-0-0 — with all five victories coming via shutout. Saint Mary's season-opening five-game winning streak is its first since opening with five consecutive wins in 2007.
 
The Cardinals, who have outscored their first five opponents 21-0, were in complete control at both ends of the field against the Red Hawks, attempting 38 shots — including 23 that found their way to RC goalkeepers Lucie Hodgkins and Maddy Spranger — while SMU did not allow a single Ripon shot attempt in the 90-minute contest.
 
Abbi Mazurek (Darien, Ill.) got the Cardinal offense off and rolling in the 14th minute, breaking in alone and beating Hodgkins for her first goal of the season.
 
And that early goal was just a sign of things to come for the Cardinals.
 
Haddy Falkman (Waconia, Minn.) took the offensive reins from Mazurek, scoring back-to-back goals 15 minutes apart — her fourth and fifth goals of the season — to extend SMU's lead to 3-0 at the break.
 
The 15-minute halftime intermission did nothing to cool down the relentless Cardinal attack, as Elisia Jensen (Gig Harbor, Wash.) netted her first collegiate goal less than two minutes into the second half — and then added her second career goal five minutes later to make it a 5-0 Saint Mary's advantage just six minutes in.
 
Leah LeBrun (Antioch, Ill.) and Megan Nadal (Chino, Calif.) each made their first career appearances in goal for the Cardinals — with neither having to face a shot.
 
The Cardinals are back in action on Tuesday, when they travel to Northfield, Minn., to face Carleton in the teams' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener. Game time is set for 4 p.m.