LA CROSSE, Wis. — The Saint Mary's University women's soccer team entered Wednesday's nonconference game against UW-La Crosse with high hopes — hopes of continued offensive fireworks, and hopes for their first win of the season.

After all, after opening the season with a 1-0 loss to Viterbo, the Cardinals regrouped to score twice in a 2-2 tie vs. UM-Morris last Saturday.

UW-L, however, had other ideas, as UW-L dashed the Cardinals hopes — both of them — with a 2-0 victory.

The Eagles outshot SMU 14-5, scoring twice in the game's final 19 minutes, as Meghan Berger and Shannon Patterson beat SMU goalkeeper Jennifer Johnson (Racine, Wis.) 17 minutes late in the second half en route to their third win in four games.

The Cardinals, who have now been shutout in two of their three games in falling to 0-2-1 overall, return to action Saturday, playing host to Simpson in a nonconference game at 1 p.m.