WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University and Saint John's men's soccer teams played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer last Wednesday, battling to a 0-0, double-overtime draw in Collegeville, Minn.
 
Four days later, the two teams were at it again — and for 55 minutes, they were still searching for their first goal.
 
Fortunately for Saint Mary's coach Corbin Bowers, the offensive floodgates opened a bit, as the two teams combined to score three times over the next 37 minutes — including Cerim Palislamovic's (Jacksonville, Fla.) game-winning goal 2:53 into overtime — giving the Cardinals the 2-1 victory.
 
Diego Rivera (Chicago, Ill.) finally broke the scoreless deadlock, taking a feed from Palislamovic and rifling a shot past SJU goalkeeper Jake Swanson for his first collegiate goal.
 
It took 165 minutes for the two teams to finally score that elusive first goal, but it took less than 11 minutes to net goal No. 2, as Cavin Allen ripped a low shot past SMU goalkeeper Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) to knot the game at 1-1 — and set the stage for Palislamovic's overtime heroics.
 
Sessler finished with four saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Jackson made three saves for the Johnnies.
 
The Cardinals (2-2-1 overall) closed out their pandemic-shortened spring season on Sunday, hosting Gustavus in a 4 p.m. contest at Ochrymowycz Field.