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WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University women's soccer coach Neil Cassidy approaches each game as a new chapter in the Cardinals' 2012 story.

Unfortunately for the Cardinal coach, Saturday's chapter read eerily similar to the previous five.

The Cardinals had two defensive breakdowns, and St. Olaf made them pay both times, as the Oles scored single goals in each half in handing SMU a 2-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.

“It's frustrating, because the ladies are playing their hearts out — today's game was a massive improvement over Wednesday,” said Cassidy, whose team had opened conference play with a 6-0 loss at St. Thomas on Wednesday. “We just made two defensive mistakes and (St. Olaf) took advantage.

“The effort is there, we just can't seem to get over the hump.”

St. Olaf's Amanda Leone was credited with the Oles' first goal, as she picked up a loose ball in a scrum in front of the SMU net and beat Cardinal goalkeeper Miranda Halling (Rochester, Minn.).

The game remained 1-0 until the 82 minute, when Annie Manning broke free and fired a shot that beat Halling for her first goal of the year.

Halling — coming off a season-high 11-save effort against St. Thomas on Wednesday — stopped seven of the nine St. Olaf shots she faced, while Ole goalkeeper Nora Forbes stopped both SMU shots in recording her third shutout of the year.

The Cardinals (0-2-0 MIAC, 0-6-0 overall) step out of conference play on Wednesday, traveling to Decorah, Iowa, for a 7 p.m. nonconference game against Luther.