WINONA, Minn. — After watching his Saint Mary's University women's soccer team's performance in its season-opening 3-0 victory over UM-Morris Thursday — SMU's second straight season-opening shutout win — Cardinal head coach Nick Rizzo must certainly be hoping history has a way of repeating itself.
 
After all, SMU did not give up a goal in its first seven games in 2021, outscoring its opponents 24-0 en route to a 6-0-1 start — and an eventual berth in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoffs.
 
It took Saint Mary's the entire 45-minute first half to chip away the rust of a lengthy off-season and short preseason — but once they broke the ice, the Cardinals were unstoppable.
 
Saint Mary's had a pair of golden scoring opportunities in the opening half, only to come up empty both times.
 
Bernadette Cienik robbed SMU's Brooklyn McKinney (Thornton, Colo.) from point-blank range midway through the half, and Emma Schafer (Hampton, Minn.) had her goal late in the period disallowed due to an offsides call, leaving the Cardinals deadlocked at 0-0 heading into the second half.
 
Ella Lahart (Sherwood, Ore.) kick-started the SMU offense early in the second frame, netting her first collegiate goal — an unassisted tally in the 54th minute — to put the Cardinals in the lead for good.
 
McKinney earned her revenge on Cienik, banging home a Lauryn Skoruppa (Littleton, Colo.) rebound nine minutes after Lahart's tally, and Skoruppa punched in her first as a Cardinal with less than three minutes to play in regulation to round out the scoring.
 
Reigning MIAC Defensive Player of the Year Alexis Nguyen (West Corvina, Calif.) did not have to make a save in recording in the shutout in goal for the Cardinals, while Cienik made eight saves in goal for the Cougars, including six in the second half.
 
The Cardinals (1-0 overall) are back in action — and right back on their home turf — on Sunday, playing host to Lawrence in a nonconference contest. Game time at Ochrymowycz Field is slated for noon.