WINONA, Minn. — As if playing the defending conference champions in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener Tuesday wasn't tough enough, the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer team had to face an Augsburg team that had scored 26 goals through its first four games—while not allowing a single goal.
 
The Cardinals held the high-powered Augsburg offensive attack to just a single goal in the teams' showdown at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Unfortunately, the Cardinals' offense suffered the same fate as the Auggies' previous four opponents, as Augsburg held Saint Mary's scoreless in posting the 1-0 conference-opening victory.
 
Augsburg wasn't the only opponent Saint Mary's was battling Tuesday, as stiff winds—not to mention lightning—made things that much tougher for the host Cardinals.
 
After a nearly one-hour lightning delay early in the first half, the Auggies broke through with what proved to be the game's only goal, as Morgan Kenny beat Saint Mary's goalkeeper Aubrey Cornell (Columbia, Mo.) with a shot that found the lower left-hand corner of the net in the game's 17th minute.
 
The Cardinals took control of the play in the second half, and had a golden scoring opportunity with less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation, but Augsburg goalkeeper Marissa Guillou stopped Saint Mary's Becca Dup's (Albert Lea, Minn.) from point-blank range to preserve the shutout.
 
Cornell equaled her season high with nine saves in goal for Saint Mary's, while Guillou stopped all six Cardinal shots in posting Augsburg's fifth straight shutout.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-0 MIAC, 2-3-0 overall) are back in action on Saturday, traveling to St. Joseph, Minn., for a 2 p.m. MIAC game against Saint Benedict.