By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University and Hamline men's soccer teams entered Saturday's Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matchup with offenses heading in completely opposite directions.
 
The Cardinals arrived at Paterson Field coming off a seven-goal offensive explosion against Martin Luther on Wednesday.
 
The Pipers, meanwhile, hadn't scored seven goals in their last seven games — combined — including being shut out in each of their last four contests.
 
And when time expired Saturday, those offenses remained headed in opposite directions.
 
Saint Mary's scored three unanswered goals — all off the foot of Eli Szymanski (La Crosse, Wis.) — as the Cardinals rolled to a 4-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory.
 
Saint Mary's scored early — and late — in grabbing a one-goal lead after the game's opening 45 minutes.
 
Johnluke Nahorski (Minnetonka, Minn.) got the Cardinals on the board in the 18th minute and, after Hamline knotted the game 1-1 10 minutes later, Szymanski gave Saint Mary's the lead for good, converting his third penalty kick in as many tires with 2:43 remaining before intermission.
 
But Szymanski wasn't finished — not by a long shot.
 
The sophomore netted his ninth of the season in the 87th minute, and, two minutes later, notched his 10th of the year — tying him for the team lead with Josh Balsiger (Camas, Wash.) — to seal the Cardinal victory.
 
Sam Morris (Hockinson, Wash.) finished with four saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Malachy Zamacona finished with 10 saves posted 10 saves in goal for the Pipers.
 
The Cardinals (4-4-0 MIAC, 8-8-0 overall) — who moved into a tie with Saint John's for the sixth and final MIAC Tournament spot — return to conference play on Tuesday, heading to St. Paul, Minn., for a 7:30 p.m. MIAC matchup against Macalester. The Pipers (1-7-0 MIAC, 3-10-1 overall), meanwhile, return to Patterson Field in St. Paul, Minn., on Tuesday, hosting Gustavus in a 3:30 p.m. conference showdown.