MANKATO, Minn. — It's a good thing Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer coach Pete Watkins has a strong heart.
 
Because his Cardinals certainly have made Watkins' ticker skip a beat or two of late.
 
The Cardinals headed into their nonconference game against Bethany Lutheran Wednesday evening have played four straight games decided by one goal or less.
 
Make that five straight.
 
Fortunately for Watkins, Wednesday's one-goal decision went in the Cardinals' favor.
 
Chris Trussel (Wenatchee, Wash.) scored the game's only goal six minutes into the second half, lifting Saint Mary's to a 1-0 victory over the Vikings.
 
Saint Mary's—which dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision to Concordia last Saturday, surrendering the game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation—dominated the opening half, holding Bethany Lutheran without a shot on goal.
 
Yet the two teams went into the halftime break in a scoreless deadlock.
 
Enter Trussel.
 
The freshman beat BLC goalkeeper Matt Bitter with a header in the 52nd minute to give Saint Mary's all the offense it would need. Chris Beiersdorf (Arlington Heights, Ill.) picked up the assist on Trussel's third goal of the season.
 
 Nate Levy (Byron, Minn.) picked up the shutout win in goal for the Cardinals, stopping the lone second-half shot he faced.
 
The Cardinals (4-5-2 overall) return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, hosting Hamline in a 7 p.m. matchup at Ochrymowycz Field.