WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team returns home Wednesday for one final nonconference tune-up prior to the opening of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference season, hosting Bethany Lutheran in a 7 p.m. contest at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
The Matchup:
Saint Mary's Cardinals (1-1-1 Overall) vs. Bethany Lutheran (0-4-0 Overall)
 
Last Action:
The Cardinals scored a pair of first-half goals, but had to settle for a 2-2, double-overtime tie against Crown last Saturday in St. Bonifacius, Minn. | Recap
Bethany Lutheran surrendered three second-half goals, in falling to Wisconsin Lutheran 4-1 in a nonconference game last Sunday in Mankato, Minn. | Recap
 
SMU vs. Bethany Lutheran — Their Last Meeting:
Wednesday's nonconference showdown will be the first in program history between the Cardinals and Vikings
 
Up Next:
Saint Mary's is off until Sept. 17, when the Cardinals kick off Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 7:30 p.m. contest against Augsburg at Edor Nelson Field in Minneapolis, Minn.
 
Scouting The Saint Mary's Cardinals:
2014 Roster | 2014 Schedule | 2014 Statistics
The Cardinals' 2-2 tie with Crown last Saturday was their first overtime game of the season. … Thirteen of the Cardinals' last 21 games have been decided by one goal or less. … Ten of Saint Mary's 14 wins under coach Pete Watkins have been decided by one goal. … Twenty-three of Saint Mary's 28 goals in the last two seasons have come in the Cardinals' five wins and two ties. … Joe Bosco (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) scored for the second straight game with his first-half tally against Crown last Saturday. … Ryan Geidner (Antioch, Ill.) accounted for Saint Mary's other goal against the Storm and joined Bosco as the team leader in goals with two. … Jim Dreshar (Hugo, Minn.) has tallied a team-best two assists — and has notched at least one point in all three of the Cardinals' games this season. … Dreshar shares the team lead in points (4) with Geidner and Bosco. … The Cardinals' four goals in their 4-0 win over North Central (Minn.) last Thursday were the most since Saint Mary's netted a school-record 11 goals in an 11-1 victory over Presentation on Sept. 1, 2013. … Bosco, Dreshar, Shawn Gilbert (Rice Lake, Wis.) and Jared Wolt (Farmington, Minn.) accounted for Saint Mary's four goals vs. the Rams last Thursday. … The goals by Dreshar, Gilbert and Wolt vs. North Central were all collegiate firsts. … Evan Claffy (Joliet, Ill.) made his first start of the season in goal vs. Crown last Saturday, finishing with two saves. … The Cardinals held North Central without a shot on goal last Thursday, making it rather easy for goalkeepers Zach Satton (Tehachapi, Calif.) and Nate Levy (Byron, Minn.) to combine on the shutout. … Satton finished with nine saves in his first collegiate start against North Park on Sept. 1. … Five of the Cardinals' seven goals this season have come in the first half. … Saint Mary's 4-1 loss to North Park marked just the second time in the last five years that the Cardinals have not won their season opener. 
 
Scouting The Bethany Lutheran Vikings:
2014 Roster | 2014 Schedule | 2014 Statistics
Bethany Lutheran heads into Wednesday's nonconference game against Saint Mary's mired in a season-opening four-game losing streak. … Wednesday's game at Saint Mary's is the third of four games against Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opponents — BLC has already lost to Hamline (2-0) and Gustavus (7-0) and is scheduled to face St. Olaf on Oct. 21. … Adam Kluball accounted for the Vikings' lone goal against Wisconsin Lutheran last Sunday, converting on a second-half penalty kick. … Brodrick Brown owns BLC's other goal, scoring in the 89th minute of the Vikings' season-opening loss to Buena Vista. … Both of the Vikings' goals this season have been unassisted. … Matt Bitter has started every game in goal for BLC, compiling a 3.90 goals-against-average and a .588 save percentage. … Both of Bethany Lutheran's goals this season have come in the second half, while 12 of the Vikings' opponents' 15 goals came after halftime.