APPLETON, Wis. — After managing just a single goal in each of its last three games, the Saint Mary's University men's soccer team stepped up its offense a notch Wednesday afternoon in the Cardinals' nonconference game against Lawrence.
 
And thanks to a pair of "firsts," that offensive bump proved to be just enough, as the Cardinals snapped a three-game winless streak with a 2-1 victory over the Vikings.
 
Cerim Palislamovic (Jacksonville, Fla.) found the back of the net for the first time this season with less than 20 minutes remaining in the first half, rifling a shot into the lower left-hand corner that eluded Lawrence goalkeeper Ethan Uribe — and gave SMU a 1-0 advantage.
 
Saint Mary's maintained that one-goal edge into the halftime break, and, 17 minutes into the second half, Martin Garr (Monticello, Minn.) found the back of the net for the first time in his collegiate career to push the Cardinals' lead to 2-0.
 
The two-goal cushion did not last long, however, as Lawrence cut the SMU lead in half on a goal by Zach Dale just seven minutes after Garr's tally.
 
That, however, would be as close as the Vikings would get, as Saint Mary's hung on for the 2-1 victory — its first since beating Simpson by the same count on Sept. 9, ending an 0-2-1 slide.
 
Jason Marcus (Gresham, Ore.) and Ryan Horlock (Batavia, Ill.), making their first collegiate appearances in goal for the Cardinals, did not have to make a save, as Saint Mary's held an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal.
 
The Cardinals (4-3-2 overall) return to conference play on Saturday, when they return home to Ochrymowycz Field for a 1 p.m. MIAC showdown against Concordia.
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