WINONA, Minn. — Celia Midtbo (Minneapolis, Minn.) may be listed as a defenseman on the roster, but it's the Saint Mary's University freshman's offensive abilities that are turning heads around the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
And this past weekend was no exception.
 
Midtbo collected her first collegiate hat trick, scoring three goals in the Cardinals' 5-1 win over Saint Benedict last Friday — and the performance earned the freshman her second MIAC Offensive Player of the Week honor in a three-week span, the league office announced Monday.
 
Midtbo kicked off the Cardinals' offensive outburst against the Bennies last Friday, scoring the game's first goal 4:04 into the opening period, before adding goal No. 2 11 minutes later to cap SMU's four-goal first period. She completed the hat trick — with her third power-play goal of the game — with 3:56 to play in the second period.
 
For the season, Midtbo has amassed 11 goals and added nine assists for 20 points, and has now pocketed a pair of multiple-goal games, having also scored twice against Bethel on Jan. 27.
 
Midtbo and the Cardinals (10-4-0 MIAC, 16-5-0 overall) are back in action this weekend, heading to Mars Lakeview Arena in Duluth, Minn., for a pair of MIAC contests against St. Scholastica.