MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's soccer coach Pete Watkins was hoping for a quick start in the Cardinals' Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener against Augsburg.
 
And a goal in the game's first 14 minutes—and three goals in the opening half—certainly constitutes as a quick start.
 
Unfortunately for Watkins, it was the Auggies doing the quick-striking, as Augsburg scored three times in the first half and cruised to a 5-1 victory at Edor Nelson Field.
 
The Auggies wasted little time getting on the scoring, as Luke Falk found the back of the net in the game's 14^th minute. Lionel Vang pushed that lead to 2-0 with a goal in the 33^rd minute, and, three minutes later, Ben Henry gave Augsburg a commanding 3-0 advantage—an advantage they maintained heading into the halftime intermission.
 
Garrett Grunke (Verona, Wis.) finally got the Cardinals on the board with his second goal of the season—off an assist from Jared Wolt (Farmington, Minn.)—in the 62^nd minute. Unfortunately, Augsburg answered—twice—in the next 25 minutes, the first by Bobby Kohl just seven minutes after Grunke's tally, and the second by Peyton Boich with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, to seal the victory.
 
The Cardinals (0-1-0 MIAC, 3-3-0 overall) return home on Saturday, playing host to Saint John's in a 7 p.m. MIAC matchup at Ochrymowycz Field.