SAINT PAUL, MINN.—The No. 2 seed Hamline University women's hockey team hosted No. 3 seed Saint Mary's (Minn.) in a MIAC Tournament Semifinal match-up at TRIA Rink on Wednesday night. The Pipers' 4-0 lead was too much for Saint Mary's to overcome in a 4-2 decision in front of 333 fans.

Hamline improves to 15-9 overall, and will make their third overall appearance in the MIAC Tournament Championship Game on Saturday, March 5 at No. 1 seed Gustavus Adolphus. Game time is set for 2 p.m. The Cardinals end their season with a 13-10-2 overall record.

The Gusties defeated No. 5 seed St. Scholastica 5-0 in the other MIAC Tournament Semifinal Game on Wednesday night.

Hamline 4, Saint Mary's 2

The Cardinals outshot Hamline in each period, which accumulated to a 34-29 advantage. That didn't stop the Pipers as they cruised to a 4-0 lead early in the second period. Haley Eder-Zdechlik's second goal of the season at 3:30 of the first period gave Hamline a 1-0 lead. The Pipers rattled three goals within the opening 4:06 of the second period to widen their advantage to 4-0 behind Sophie Rausch 0:47 into the frame, Cheyenne Abear at 1:25, and Molly Garin at 4:06.

This provoked Saint Mary's to swap out starting goaltender Ary Ziakas for Jordan Keeley.

Saint Mary's (Minn.) outshot Hamline 23-15 from that point forward, and found the scoreboard for the first time at 13:30 of the second period behind Carson Sheridan's short-handed tally that cut the score to 4-1. The Cardinals closed the game's scoring at 14:18 of the third period, as Sidney Polzin's goal narrowed her team's deficit to 4-2.

Emme Nelson notched two assists for Hamline, while Rausch contributed one goal and one assist.

McKenna Hulslander made 32 saves between the pipes for Hamline, while her counterparts Ziakas and Keeley combined for 25 saves for Saint Mary's (Minn.).