And kick-start it they did, as the Cardinals erupted for seven goals en route to a 7-0 nonconference win over Ripon at Ochrymowycz Field.

Caitlyn Cole (Larsen, Minn.) got the Cardinals on the board eight minutes into the first half, taking a picture-perfect pass from midfielder Amy Sibik (Onalaska, Wis.) and beating Ripon goalkeeper Samantha Eubanks.

Amanda Rahman (Rochester, Minn.) made it 2-0 four minutes later — and the Cardinals were just getting warmed up.

Sibik would find the back of the net three times before the half ended — getting assists from Rahman, Kelsey Schneider (Portland, Ore.) and Kelsey Brown (Elk River, Minn.) — then completed the second four-goal game of her career 12 minutes into the second half off an assist from Sloane Kuramoto (Rochester, Minn.) to push the Cardinals' lead to 6-0.

“(Sibik) is not only a great scorer, but she is also very unselfish and is great at looking for passing chances,” said SMU coach Eric Zimmerman of her senior forward, who moved into fifth all-time in SMU women's soccer history with Goal No. 4. “People see all of the scoring, but she really is a good all-around player.”

The Cardinals' seventh and final goal came in the 80th minute when a crossing pass from Tania Trowbridge Shakopee, Minn.) found Schneider, who finished Saint Mary's scoring effort.

The Cardinals dominated offensively, boasting 22 shots on goal, while SMU goalkeeper #Cassie Hulett (Milwaukee, Wis.) stopped just one Red Hawk shot en route to her first collegiate shutout.

“Today was much better in terms of off-the-ball movement,” said Zimmerman. “We did very well at creating options for the player with the ball. The ladies did a great job of connecting in the final third of the field — people were hungry after Wednesday's (loss to UW-River Falls).”