WINONA, Minn. — Coming off a six-goal offensive explosion in a 6-0, season-opening win over UM-Morris on Friday, the Saint Mary's University women's soccer team picked up right where it left off Sunday afternoon, scoring less than three minutes into the opening half of its nonconference game against No. 23 Wartburg.
 
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that early goal would be their only one.
 
And while Saint Mary's struck early in the first half, the visiting Knights waited until the end of the frame, scoring back-to-back goals in the last three minutes of the opening half in dealing the Cardinals a 2-1 setback at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Lauren Ashe (Beaverton, Ore.) became the seventh different Cardinal to score a goal this season, taking a feed from Peyton Maier and feathering a shot past Wartburg goalkeeper Kyra Lenhart just 2:55 into the first half.
 
Wartburg netted the equalizer in the 42nd minute when Camryn Ray headed a Meredith Connor corner kick past SMU goalkeeper Anna Peckosh (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), and, less than two minutes later Maddie Bowers gave the Knights the lead for good, scoring an unassisted tally with 50 seconds to play until halftime.
 
Peckosh finished with four saves between the pipes for the Cardinals, while Lenhart matched that effort for the Knights.
 
Saint Mary's (1-1-0 overall) is back in action on Tuesday, heading to Beloit, Wis., for a 4:30 p.m. nonconference game against Beloit.
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