ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team headed into Saturday's season finale against Macalester having played seven straight games that were decided by shutout—including last Wednesday's 1-0 win over Hamline.
 
Make that eight straight.
 
Unfortunately, it was the Scots doing the shutting out on Saturday, as Macalester scored a pair of second-half goals—and held the Cardinals off the scoreboard—in dealing Saint Mary's a 2-0 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback.
 
The Cardinals and Scots were virtual mirror images of each other through the game's opening 45 minutes—the Scots attempted five shots to the Cardinals four, while both teams headed into halftime with one shot on goal.
 
That all changed over the game's final 45 minutes, as Macalester erupted for 12 shots—including six on goal—while the Scots' smothering defense did not allow a Cardinal second-half shot.
 
Charlie Spurr got Macalester on the board in the 57^th minute, netting his second of the year to break the scoreless deadlock and give the Scots a 1-0 advantage. With eight minutes remaining in regulation, Wilson Merrell found the back of the net to give Macalester a two-goal cushion.
 
Nate Levy (Byron, Minn.), who recorded his first collegiate shutout in Wednesday's win over Hamline, finished with four saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Macalester goalie Zeke Vainer earned the shutout for the Scots.
 
The Cardinals closed out the season with a 6-11-1 record, including a 2-8-0 record in conference play.