Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — Eric Luzzi looked at Tuesday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with defending conference champoin Gustavus as a chance for his Cardinals to prove they belonged among the MIAC's elite.

Gustavus, however, had other ideas.

Fueled by goals from Scott Storlie and Eric Carl, the Gusties escaped with a 2-1 victory, and took over sole possession of first place in the MIAC race.

"I thought we put forth a good effort," said SMU coach Eric Luzzi, whose team fell to 2-1 in the MIAC and 5-2 overall. "But against a team like Gustavus — ranked No. 22 in the nation and the defending conference champs — good is not enough."

SMU controlled the tempo early in the first half, but a fluke goal by Storlie off a free kick deflated the high-flying Cardinals, who could not get the equalizer in the game's first 45 minutes, as Gustavus — winners of 11 straight conference games — held on to their one-goal advantage at halftime.

"That goal hurt," admitted Luzzi. "We came out playing very strong and then all the sudden, boom, we're down 1-0 and everyone started to panic a bit. We stopped playing our kind of soccer and started just running around without a purpose."

The Gusties (3-0 MIAC, 6-1 overall) padded their advantage to 2-0 on Carl's goal at the 72:56 mark. Carl took a feed from Fru Ngwa and rifled a low shot into the right corner, just past SMU goalkeeper Matt Peck's (Eau Claire, Wis.) outstretch arms.

Down, but not out, the Cardinals pulled back within one with just under nine minutes remaining in regulation and Eric Brown (Cary, Ill.) headed a Tim Clemans (Cary, Ill.) free kick past Gustavus goalie Ross Smith.

SMU continued to apply plenty of pressure over the remaining nine minutes, but could not come up with the equalizer, as they lost to Gustavus for the third straight season — with all three games being decided by one goal.

"This is a tough, tough conference, and I don't see the conference champion finishing the year with less than two losses," predicted Luzzi. "Obviously this is a game we would have liked to have won, but I think we showed that, when we play up to our capabilitie, we can play with the (MIAC's) best.

"But moral victories aren't going to win championships — we have to prove it on the field."