By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team went into its showdown against Simpson with every intention of ending its nonconference schedule the same way it started — with a win.
 
Simpson, however, refused to cooperate.
 
The Storm scored the game's only goal five minutes into the second half, as Simpson dealt the Cardinals a 1-0 setback to close out the nonconference portion of their schedule Wednesday at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Despite holding a commanding 5-2 advantage in shots on goal through the game's first 45 minutes, the Cardinals found themselves deadlocked with the Storm heading into the intermission.
 
And the Storm turned the tables on the Cardinals in the game's final 45 minutes, putting eight shots on the Saint Mary's goal, compared to SMU's one.
 
Ricardo Ibarra made the first of the Storm's eight second-half shots on goal count, scoring his first goal of the season with a shot that eluded the outstretched hands of Saint Mary's goalkeeper Michael Maniak (Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) and nestled into the back of the net.
 
Jimmy Perreault (Batavia, Ill.) got the start in goal for the Cardinals, stopping both first-half shots he faced, with Maniak finishing with seven saves in his 45 minutes of relief. Jake Potratz stopped all six of Saint Mary's shots in recording the shutout for the Storm.
 
The Cardinals (5-9-1 overall) return to Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Macalester.