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WINONA, Minn. — As the saying goes, “Better late than never.”

The Saint Mary's University men's soccer team took the patient approach Saturday evening in their Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game against Hamline, as the Cardinals waited until the final six minutes of regulation, before Joe Bosco (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) scored the game's only goal to give SMU a 1-0 victory.

“That was a big win for us,” said SMU coach Pete Watkins, whose team won its third straight, marking the first time since 2001 that the Cardinals have won three consecutive games. “The guys played very well — they stayed patient and didn't panic, and Joe came through with a great goal.

“All-in-all, it was a well-played game.”

The game's first 45 minutes — in fact, the first 84 minutes — proved to be a defensive battle, with neither team managing to convert on their offensive opportunities.

Bosco changed all that in the 85th minute, however, as the freshman corralled a loose ball of an SMU corner kick and beat Hamline goalkeeper
Eric Fell with the game's only goal.

SMU goalkeeper Christian Van Dam (Linovia, Mich.) did his part, stopping back-to-back HU shots late to preserve the victory — and his first collegiate shutout. Van Dam finished with six saves, while Fell stopped seven of the Cardinals' eight shots in goal for the Pipers.

The Cardinals — who improve to 3-3-0 in the MIAC and 6-6-0 overall — will go for their fourth straight win on Wednesday, when they host Carleton in a 7 p.m. conference contest at Ochrymowycz Field.