NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The St. Olaf College women's hockey team moved into the top five in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) standings with a 4-0 victory over third-place Saint Mary's University on Saturday at St. Olaf Ice Arena.

After a 3-1 road loss the night before, St. Olaf (11-11-1, 8-7-1 MIAC) gained a split with Saint Mary's (15-8-0, 10-6-0 MIAC) by becoming the first team this season to shut out the Cardinals. First year Baylyn Shankman made it four shutouts in as many collegiate starts with a 27-save effort and has not allowed a goal in 269:35 between the pipes this season.

With the win, St. Olaf moved ahead of the idle College of Saint Benedict and into fifth place in the conference standings with 25 points. The Oles are two points ahead of the Bennies for the final playoff spot with two MIAC games remaining. All of the other teams in the conference have either clinched a playoff spot of been eliminated from contention.

After nearly 33 minutes of scoreless hockey, senior Kate Carfagnini gave St. Olaf the only goal it would need at 12:59 of the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle after getting the puck from seniors Iona Welsch and Rachel Wieland. The goal was Carfagnini's sixth of the season and all six have come at home.

Junior Solvei Berg-Messerole scored twice in the first 6:03 of the third period to give the Oles a three-goal cushion. With St. Olaf on the power play to start the period, the junior scored just 26 seconds in to make it 2-0 before adding another goal at the 6:03 mark to move into the team lead with nine goals this season.

First year Bryn Etzell capped a three-goal third period with an empty-netter inside the final two minutes. Senior Sophie McBane assisted on each of the Oles' three third-period goals for the first three-assist game of her career.

Shankman made 15 of her 27 saves in the third period for St. Olaf, while Magali Fillion had 29 saves in the loss for the visitors. The Oles were 1-for-2 on the power play and killed off the lone penalty they committed midway through the third period.

St. Olaf will try and secure a playoff spot on the final weekend of the regular season against Bethel University, starting with a 6 p.m. home game on Friday, Feb. 21.