NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team's steady climb up the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ladder hit a broken rung on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Cardinals, who entered their showdown against St. Olaf unbeaten in their last five games — including 2-0-2 in their last four MIAC contests — surrendered a pair of second-half goals, and never got their offense on track in falling to the Oles 3-0 at Rolf Melby Field.
 
St. Olaf struck first, breaking the ice in the 33rd minute, when Tessa Anderson blistered a shot that eluded Saint Mary's goalkeeper Alexis Nguyen (West Corvina, Calif.) and found the lower left corner of the net for a 1-0 Ole lead.
 
The Cardinals held an 8-6 edge in shots attempted over the game's first 45 minutes — including shots by Haddy Falkman (Waconia, Minn.) and Kaley Manglitz (Onalaska, Wis.) that found their way to St. Olaf goalkeeper Maddie Black — but came up empty and headed into the intermission staring at a one-goal deficit.
 
The Oles continued the offensive pressure in the second half — outshooting SMU 8-5, including 4-1 in shots on goal — and cashed in with goals by Sadie and Reiley Prueter less than four minutes apart early in the frame, to push their advantage to 3-0.
 
And three goals was too much for the Cardinals to overcome, as Saint Mary's suffered its first loss since dropping a 2-1 decision to Luther on Sept. 21.
 
Nguyen finished with three saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Black stopped all three Cardinal shots in recording the shutout.
 
The Cardinals (2-3-1 MIAC, 5-5-2 overall) are back in action — and back on the road — on Saturday, as they head to Bethel's Ona Orth Athletic Complex in Arden Hills, Minn., for a 1 p.m. conference matchup against the Royals.
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