WINONA, Minn. - In their 2024-25 regular-season opener, the Concordia Univerity Wisconsin women's ice hockey team traveled west to take on the formidable Saint Mary's University Cardinals, a squad ranked 15th in the country according to the United States Collegiate Hockey Online (USCHO) poll.
Despite a determined effort, the Falcons fell to the Cardinals with a final score of 1-6.
The first period ended in a stalemate, with both teams unable to find the back of the net. Saint Mary's outshot Concordia 26-12, but senior goaltender Kami McCardle (Jackson, Wis.) made 13 saves to keep the score tied at 0-0 after the first frame. The Falcons also successfully killed off two penalties during this period.
However, the Cardinals struck first early in the second period, taking a 1-0 lead just 2:08 in. They quickly followed up with two more goals, including a power-play score that resulted from an unfortunate bounce for the Falcons.
Refusing to back down, Concordia responded when senior captain Brooke Gibson (LaSalle, Ont.) scored an unassisted goal with 3:07 left in the second period. But the Cardinals wasted no time in retaliating, netting a goal just 12 seconds later to take a commanding 4-1 lead heading into the third.
The final period saw Saint Mary's extend their lead, scoring again just 2:56 in and adding one more goal in the closing minutes to seal the game at 6-1.
Kami McCardle finished the night with 36 saves, while freshman Scout Stromberg (Tomahawk, Wis.) recorded three blocks, and sophomore Chanler Taylor (Bloomington, Ill.) added two.
Senior Amanda Bauer (Waunakee, Wis.) led the Falcons offensively with four shots on goal. Additionally, seniors Olivia Kurtz (Plainfield, Ill.), Natalie Mackrell (Florissant, Colo.), and Megan Vettraino (Howell, Mich.), along with sophomore Mackaylan McGown (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and junior Makayla Spejcher (Green Bay, Wis.), each contributed two shots.
Mackaylan McGown won 10 faceoffs, while Brooke Gibson secured seven.
The Falcons will look to bounce back as they prepare for a rematch against Saint Mary's on Saturday, with puck drop scheduled for noon.
