WINONA, Minn. — Now that's more like it.
After back-to-back ties in their previous two games, the Saint Mary's University men's soccer team wasn't about to leave any doubt of the outcome in its nonconference game against Ripon Wednesday evening.
Saint Mary's scored back-to-back goals just over a minute apart early in the first half and cruised to a 3-1 win over the Red Hawks at Ochrymowycz Field.
For the second straight game, the Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Unlike Sunday's 2-2 against Rockford, however, this time around Saint Mary's wasn't about to relinquish the advantage.
Jack Hurley (Homewood, Ill.) got the ball rolling for the Cardinals nine minutes into the first half, converting his second penalty kick goal of the season, lacing a shot past Ripon goalkeeper Kalan Narance for the early 1-0 lead.
And it didn't take the Cardinals long to make it a 2-0 advantage — 1:31, to be exact – as
Jacob Clements (Holmen, Wis.) beat Narance for his second goal of the season.
Ripon broke SMU goalkeeper
Daniel Sessler's (Brookfield, Ill.) shutout bid with a goal in the 66th minute, but the Cardinals had an answer, as
Kyle Palmberg (Holmen, Wis.) took a feed from
Cohan Hare (New Richmond, Wis.) and beat Narance with a shot into the lower left-hand corner.
Sessler finished with a season-high seven saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Narance stopped four of Saint Mary's seven shots on goal.
The Cardinals (2-0-2 overall) — off to their best start since opening the 2017 season 4-0-0 — are back in action on Sunday, when they travel to New Ulm, Minn., for a 3:30 p.m. nonconference matchup against Martin Luther.
