WINONA, Minn. — Two days ago, the Saint Mary's University men's soccer team suffered the agony of a PK defeat, when Marian scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick late in the second half of a 2-1 Sabres' victory.
 
Fast-forward to Wednesday evening, and the Cardinals were once again in the midst of a 2-1 decision decided by a late PK.
 
Only this time, it was the Cardinals enjoying the thrill of that PK victory, as Jack Hurley (Homewood, Ill.) converted on a penalty kick with 25 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Saint Mary's to the 2-1 nonconference win over Bethany Lutheran at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Both teams had several chances to take control of the match, but it took until the 75th minute for someone to finally find the back of the net.
 
Saint Mary's had a golden opportunity to get on the board in the 16th minute, but BLC goalkeeper Nate Lundberg made a diving save on a Cohan Hare (New Richmond, Minn.) free kick from just outside the box.
 
Bethany Lutheran also had a stellar scoring opportunity in the opening 25 minutes, but Hurley made a defensive gem of a save on a shot by BLC's Daniel Almeida, and SMU goalkeeper Daniel Sessler (Brookfield, Ill.) followed with a sprawling save on a Lorenzo Falleti shot to keep the game scoreless.
 
Lundberg came up big again for the Vikings in the 55th minute, stopping a point-blank shot by SMU's Martin Garr (Monticello, Minn.), and the goal post came up big for the Cardinals two minutes later, as Falleti's shot eluded Sessler, but caromed off the crossbar.
 
After being stymied twice — first by Sessler and then by the crossbar — Falleti finally broke the ice, lacing a shot past a screened Sessler on a Viking free kick in the 75th minute to give BLC a 1-0 advantage.
 
The advantage did not last long, however, as Rojan Monger (St. Paul, Minn.) took a feed from Garr and lifted a shot over the outstretched arms of Lundberg and into the upper right hand corner to pull the Cardinals even, 1-1.
 
And set up Hurley's late-game, penalty-kick heroics, as the senior — who netted a team-leading three PK goals a year ago — rifled the free kick past a helpless Lundberg to give Saint Mary's the come-from-behind victory.
 
Sessler finished with four saves in goal for SMU, while Lundberg made three saves between the pipes for the Vikings.
 
Saint Mary's (2-1-1 overall) is now off until Saturday, when the Cardinals travel to Indianola, Iowa, for a 5 p.m. nonconference game against Simpson.
 
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