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Cardinal Roster
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Cardinal Statistics
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Cardinal Schedule
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MIAC Standings
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MIAC Statistics
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| 2006-2007 Records: 0-0-0 MIAC, 0-3-1 Overall |
| Last Week's Results UW-Eau Claire 5, Saint Mary's 2 / Details UW-Superior 4, Saint Mary's 3 / Details UW-Superior 2, Saint Mary's 1 / Details |
| Upcoming Games: Fri., Nov. 17: Augsburg at SMU, 7:05 p.m. Sat., Nov. 18: SMU at Augsburg, 7 p.m.. |
| Cardinal News and Notes: The Cardinals saw their season-opening winless streak climb to four with three straight losses last week. … Jessica Ribish (Elm Grove, Wis.) scored a pair of goals last week, while Melissa Mondo (Vadnais Heights, Minn.), and Laura Mueller (St. Paul, Minn.) both posted a goal and an assist. … Mondo's goal was the 37th of her career, moving her into a tie for fifth all-time with Kelly O'Neill. Mondo is also seventh all-time in points with 71. … Nikki Jung (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) stopped 35 shots in SMU's 4-2 loss to UW-Superior, while Amanda Gage (Lino Lakes, Minn.) stopped 62 of 69 shots in losses to UW-Eau Claire and UW-Superior. … Four of UW-Superior's six goals came in the third period, while UW-Eau Claire scored three of its five goals in the game's final 20 minutes. For the season, nine of the 13 goals SMU has allowed have come in the game's final 20 minutes. … The Cardinals have scored three powerplay goals (3-for-21), while SMU's opponents have netted eight goals with the man advantage (8-for-33). … The Cardinals have been held to two goals or less in all four games this season. |
in nonconference losses to UW-Eau Claire, Superior
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Jessica
Ribish 2 goals in 3 games last week |
Unfortunately for SMU, a collegiate hockey game is three periods long — and that third period did in the Cardinals, again.
SMU goalie Amanda Gage (Lino Lakes, Minn.) and Yellowjackets' goalie Melissa Kunzelman matched each other save-for-save through the first two periods last Saturday, as the two teams headed into the third period tied 0-0.
In that final 20 minutes, however, it was the Yellowjackets who had the upper hand — for the second straight night.
Less than 24 hours after giving up two Yellowjacket goals in the third period of a 4-2 loss, UW-Superior did it to the Cardinals again on Saturday, as the Yellowjackets beat Gage twice en route to a 2-1 win and a sweep of the nonconference series.
"It's hard to feel disappointed when you played one of the best teams in the nation to a tie for four of six periods," said SMU coach Terry Mannor, whose team gave up three third-period goals in a 5-2 loss to UW-Eau Claire last Tuesday, then battled the Yellowjackets to a 2-2 tie after one period of Friday's series opener, only to give up two third-period goals in the 4-2 setback. "We made some mistakes that cost us in both games — and when you are playing a team as good as (Superior), you can't afford to do that.
"If anything, I think this team learned that they have the ability to play with anybody — but we've got to find a way to eliminate those mistakes."
Gage and Kunzelman stole center stage for the first two periods, as Gage stopped all 20 shots she faced in Periods 1 and 2 — including 15 in the first, when UW-Superior held a 15-1 advantage in shots on goal — while Kunzelman was kicked out eight SMU shots.
Then the offenses kicked in.
Brianne Mosher netted a powerplay goal eight minutes into the final period and Alicia Cowieson made it 2-0 three minutes later, before Jessica Ribish (Elm Grove, Wis.) got the Cardinals on the board with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.
"It's been a tough start to the season, but we are in no way in panic mode," said Mannor, whose team has now dropped three straight after opening the season with a 2-2 tie vs. UW-River Falls. "Right now everyone is working hard and playing well mentally, which is all I can ask of them. If they can continue to put forth this type of effort, the wins are going to come."