Game Summary
WINONA, Minn. — For the second year in a row, the Saint Mary's University and Benedictine women's soccer teams have played to a 1-0 decision.
A year ago, Bernadette Balla scored SMU's first goal of the season — in the Cardinals' fifth game — and goalkeeper Dianna Kyllo (Kasson, Minn.) made that lone goal stand up as she stopped both Benedictine shots she faced as SMU dropped the Eagles 1-0.
The two teams squared off again Sunday afternoon at Ochrymowycz Field, and while the final score was the same, the winner was not.
Benedictine's Michelle Prather took a pass from Nicki Hopf and broke in alone on SMU goalkeeper Emily Strom (Waterford, Wis.), beating the Cardinal senior with a shot into the lower left corner for the game's only goal as the Eagles turned the tables on the Cardinals, 1-0.
"It's frustrating, because we are creating some very good scoring opportunties, but we are not converting on them," said SMU coach Dan Blank, whose team dropped its season opener 3-0 to Viterbo on Friday. "This was the second game in a row where we played extremely well in the second half, but don't have anything to show for it."
After giving up all three goals to the V-Hawks in the first half on Friday, the Cardinals once again found themselves on the short end at the half against Benedictine.
"We've got to find a way to put the ball in the net, it's that simple," said Blank, whose team failed to get a shot on goal through the first 45 minutes against the Eagles, but pelted Benedictine goalie Liliana Alvarez with seven shots in the second half. "(Benedictine) was tired in the second half and they were having trouble marking us, but we couldn't capitalize.
"I think we proved to ourselves in that second half how well we are capable of playing," Blank continued. "Everyone realizes that it's going to take some time for this team to jel, but the bottom line is, we've still got to find a way to score some goals."
Strom finished with five saves, while freshman Nicole Bohn (Winona, Minn.), who relieved Strom at the half, made three saves in her 45 minutes of work.
