Game Summary

WINONA, Minn. — For the second time in two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games, the Saint Mary's University men's soccer team found itself in the midst of a one-goal nailbiter.

And for the second straight time, that one goal decision did not go in the Cardinals' favor.

Coach Chris Dembiec did not have any trouble finding some silver linings in Saturday's latest one-goal setback — a 2-1 decision to Carleton at Ochrymowycz Field — but he's getting tired of moral victories.

And so are the Cardinals.

"It's not that we are playing that poorly, it's just that we are digging ourselves some pretty deep holes, and we have to expend so much energy trying to dig ourselves out, we just don't have anything left in the end," said Dembiec, whose team opened conference play last Wednesday with a 3-2 loss to Hamline. "We have got to start managing the game better. We like to play a possession-style of game, and with the high amount of pressure that (Carleton) put on us, it took us right out of our game."

Carleton got on the board first, as Paul Pedtke scored 15 minutes into the first half. Bobby Phillips pushed that Knight lead to 2-0 at the 71-minute mark, before James Kuhnle (Burlington, Wis.) got SMU on the board with three minutes remaining in regulation.

Kuhnle's goal, however, proved to be too little, too late, as Carleton held on for their first MIAC win in two tries.

"We lacked focus today," said Dembiec. "We just did not control the game the way we need to — we gave away far too many balls. We just seemed to be a step slow out there today. Give Carleton credit, their pressure really gave us fits, but we've got to do a better job of taking care of the ball.

"We came out on the short end of so many 50-50 balls, and you can't do that and expect to be successful in this league," Dembiec added. "We did some nice things out there, but moral victories can only take you so far — we've got to push our game to the next level, that's the bottom line."