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DUBUQUE, Iowa — If Saint Mary's University women's soccer coach Neil Cassidy has nightmares Sunday evening, it will be Alexandra Watkins' fault.

The University of Dubuque forward had a hand — make that foot — on all three Spartan goals, as UD handed the Cardinals a 3-1 nonconference setback Sunday afternoon.

"I thought we played pretty well," said Cassidy. "We came back from a 1-0 deficit, but we just couldn't stop (Watkins) — she made two really nice plays that set up their last two goals, and that was the difference."

The Spartans scored the only goal of the first half, as Watkins broke behind the Cardinal defenders and went in on a breakaway, beating SMU goalkeeper Aubrie Cornell (Holts Summit, Mo.) in the game's 13th minute.

Caroline Blackwood (Norwalk, Ohio) got the Cardinals on the board three minutes into the second half, taking a feed from Emma Schaefer (Falcon Heights, Minn.) and lacing a shot past UD goalkeeper Tiffany Duncan.

Megan Siepler scored the first of her two goals — off an assist from Watkins — to give the Spartans the lead for good in the 55th minute, and the two were at it again nine minutes later, as Watkins again set up Siepler for her second of the game.

Cornell, making her first collegiate start, finished with a pair of saves, while Duncan stopped three of the four Cardinal shots she faced.

The Cardinals are back in action on Wednesday, when they travel to River Falls, Wis., for a 4 p.m. nonconference game against UW-River Falls.