By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — It wasn't quite the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-opening result Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer coach Corbin Bowers was hoping for.
 
But then, in his team's defense, the Cardinals' opponent was good — very, very good.
 
Saint Mary's surrendered goals early and late in the first half and could not claw its way out of the two-goal hole, as St. Thomas — the two-time defending conference champion and currently ranked No. 4 in the country — dealt the Cardinals a 2-0 setback Wednesday afternoon at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
The Tommies, who entered Wednesday's showdown with the Cardinals riding a season-opening four-game winning streak — and boasted a 46-2-3 mark since the start of 2016 — grabbed the upper hand early, as Jack Barry headed a Halvor Houg cross past Cardinal goalkeeper Alberto Centeno (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) to give UST a 1-0 lead 12 minutes into the first half.
 
St. Thomas pushed that lead to 2-0 with 13 seconds remaining before halftime, when Houg converted a direct kick with a laser past Centeno and into the upper left-hand corner.
 
The Tommies held a 16-11 advantage in shot, including a 7-4 edge in shot s on goal.
 
Centeno finished with seven saves — four in the first half and three more in the second — while Aidan Hogan stopped all four Cardinal shots he faced.
 
Saint Mary's (0-1-0 MIAC, 3-2-0 overall) returns to action on Saturday, traveling to St. Olaf's Rolf Melby Field in Northfield, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. conference showdown against the Oles.