By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — Coming off a 1-1, double-overtime tie against Carroll on Wednesday — their fourth overtime game in their last five outings — it appeared as if the Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer team would be putting in some more overtime once again Saturday afternoon against Saint John's.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Johnnies had other ideas.
 
Saint John's scored a pair of goals 59 seconds apart late in the second half in dealing Saint Mary's a 3-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
The Johnnies struck early to take a one-goal lead, getting a goal from Ben Becker just 2:07 into the first half.
 
Saint Mary's answered in the 21^st minute, as Josh Balsiger (Camas, Wash.) netted his team-leading fifth goal of the season, taking a feed from Johnluke Nahorski (Minnetonka, Minn.) and beating Johnnie goalkeeper Payton Spencer.
 
The game would remain deadlocked through the final 24 minutes of the first half — and the first 38 minutes of the second half.
 
And then the Johnnies struck — twice.
 
Zack Boerjan picked up a loose ball off a deflection on a Cardinal corner kick and raced 70 yards untouched, beating Saint Mary's goalkeeper Jimmy Perreault (Batavia, Ill.) to put Saint John's in front 2-1.
 
Less than a minute later, Rene Cabrera gave the Johnnies some breathing room, curling a shot that hit the inside of the left post and nestled into the net for his first goal of the season.
 
Perrault — making his first start of the season — finished with four saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Spencer stopped seven of Saint Mary's eight shots.
 
The Cardinals (1-3-0 MIAC, 4-7-1 overall) are back in action on Wednesday, traveling to St. Peter, Minn., for a 4 p.m. conference showdown with Gustavus.