WINONA, Minn. — Gustavus flexed its muscle at both ends of the ice Saturday afternoon — much to the chagrin of the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team.
 
The Gusties, the nation's top-ranked team, scored the game's only three goals — and held the Cardinals to just nine shots on goal, including just three over the game's first 40 minutes — in dealing Saint Mary's a 3-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback Saturday afternoon at the Saint Mary's Gym.
 
Gustavus did not waste any time grabbing the lead — and the momentum — getting a goal from Kaitlyn Holland just 4:26 into the opener period. That, however, would be GAC's only tally of the period, as SMU goalie Jordan Keeley stopped 15 of the Gusties' 16 first-period shots on goal.
 
GAC pushed its lead to 2-0 on a goal by Lily Mortenson — the Gusties' second power-play tally of the afternoon — with 6:30 to play in the period. Holland found the back of the net for a second time with 33 second remaining to give the Gusties a 3-0 lead heading into the game's final 20-minute frame.
 
Saint Mary's held Gustavus at bay in the third period, but were unable to penetrate GAC's air-tight defense in suffering its second straight shutout loss to the top-ranked Gusties.
 
Keeley and Celeste Rimstad (Richfield, Minn.) were busy between the pipes for the Cardinals, facing 48 GAC shots. Keeley finished with 34 saves through two periods, before giving way to Rimstad (Richfield, Minn.), who stopped all 11 shots she faced in the third period. Katie McCoy posted her second straight shutout, stopping all nine SMU shots.
 
Saint Mary's (1-5-0 MIAC, 1-9-0 overall) step out of conference play for a pair of games against Lawrence next weekend. The Cardinals and Vikings will play at 7 p.m. in Appleton, Wis., next Friday, with the rematch, also in Appleton, Wis., the following afternoon at 3 p.m.
  Read Full Article