NORTHFIELD, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University men's soccer team entered its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-opener against Carleton riding a wave of momentum — thanks to back-to-back-to-back victories heading into their showdown with the Knights.
 
Unfortunately, that wave came crashing down on the Cardinals Wednesday, as Carleton scored a pair of goals less than two minutes apart early in the first half in putting an end to SMU's three-game winning streak with a 2-1 win at Bell Field.
 
Carleton's Marco da Cunha proved to be a thorn in the Cardinals' side early, as the senior scored his team-leading third goal of the season in the 19th minute, and, less than two minutes later, assisted on Tarek Bos-Shadi's tally to give the Knights a quick, 2-0 advantage.
 
Saint Mary's cut the deficit in half with less than 13 minutes remaining in the first half, when Eli Szymanski (La Crosse, Wis.) scored his fourth goal of the year — converting on his third penalty kick of the season — to pull the Cardinals within one, 2-1, at the break.
 
That, however, would be as close as the Cardinals would get, as Carleton maintained that one-goal advantage over the game's final 45 minutes in running its season-opening unbeaten streak to five (3-0-2).
 
Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) was busy between the pipes for the Cardinals, equaling his career high with seven saves — including a second-half penalty kick that kept it a one-goal game. Carleton finished with a 28-6 edge in shots, including a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-0 MIAC, 3-2-0 overall) are back in action on Saturday, when they entertain Saint John's in a 12:30 p.m. conference matchup at Ochrymowycz Field.