WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team headed into its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference showdown with Hamline riding a wave of momentum—taking the field against the Pipers having gone 2-1-2 in its last five contests.
 
But that's not to say the Cardinals' wave hasn't had its fair share of nailbiting, up-and-down moments.
 
After all, all five of those had been decided by one goal or less—including three that went into overtime.
 
So it didn't come as much of a surprise to Cardinal coach Pete Watkins when Saturday's showdown followed suit—and was decided by a single goal.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Pipers scored two unanswered goals, erasing an early Saint Mary's lead and handing the Cardinals a 2-1 conference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
James Larson (Polson, Mont.) got the Cardinals on the board early, scoring his first goal of the season nine minutes into the opening minutes.
 
Abbai Habte pulled the Pipers even, netting his team-leading seventh goal of the game seven minutes after Larson's tally.
 
The game remained deadlocked into the halftime break, but it didn't last long once the teams came out for the second half, as HU netted the eventual game-winner, as Oscar Campbell beat Cardinal goalkeeper Evan Claffy (Joliet, Ill.) just 1:22 into the second half.
 
Claffy finished with three saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Hamline's Dean Isaacson stopped four of the Cardinals' five shots in goal for the Pipers.
 
The Cardinals (0-4-2 MIAC, 4-6-2 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. conference game against Macalester.