MOORHEAD, Minn. — A year ago, Emily Kearns (Hopkins, Minn.) scored a team-leading 24 goals, marking the second straight season that she led the Saint Mary's University women's hockey team in scoring.

In SMU's first two games this season, Kearns was held without a point — and SMU went 0-1-1.

In SMU's last two games, Kearns has netted three goals — and the Cardinals have won both times.

The Cardinal senior — who scored the game's only goal in SMU's 1-0 win over UW-Eau Claire last Saturday — netted a pair of first-period goals Saturday as Saint Mary's opened Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 2-1 win over Concordia.

Kearns got SMU on the board with an unassisted goal at 6:50 of the opening period, then added what proved to be the game-winner 10 minutes later as the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead into the locker room after the first period.

Concordia cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the second period on a goal by Lindsay Czarnecki, but that was the only shot the Cobbers would get past SMU freshman goalie Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), who finished with 23 saves.