DUBUQUE, Iowa — If Saint Mary's University men's soccer coach Corbin Bowers had one wish Wednesday evening, he wouldn't have had to ponder too long to determine what he would wish for.
 
A first-half do-over.
 
The Cardinals surrendered three goals in the game's opening 45 minutes — including one just 10 minutes in and another with less than four minutes remaining — and SMU never recovered, suffering a season-opening 3-0 nonconference loss to the University of Dubuque.
 
The Spartans — who went 6-1-1 a year ago and were picked to win the 2021 American Rivers Conference regular-season title — jumped on the Cardinals early, needing just over nine minutes to find the back of the net for the first time, as Axel Aaman beat SMU goalkeeper Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) with a shot into the lower right-hand corner for a 1-0 UD lead.
 
Dubuque pushed its advantage to 2-0 on a goal by Derek Littler in the 32nd
 minute, then capped off their three-goal first half in the 41st minute, when Darren Gray's free kick clanked off the inside of the post and caromed into the net.
 
The Cardinals' defense clamped down on the high-powered Spartan offense in the second half, holding UD scoreless on just three shots on goal. Unfortunately, the damage had been done.
 
Sessler was busy between the pipes for the Cardinals, equaling his career-high with seven saves. UD goalkeepers Christoffer Restoc and Matt Machion combined on the two-save shutout.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-0 overall) are back in action on Saturday, when they kick off the home portion of their 2021 season with a nonconference matchup against Edgewood. Game time at Ochrymowycz Field is slated for 2:30 p.m.