WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota women's soccer team headed into its showdown with Bethel have played in three straight games decided by one goal—a 1-0 victory over UW-River Falls, and a pair of 2-1 losses to St. Olaf and Augsburg.
 
And for the fourth straight game, the end result Wednesday was another one-goal game—and another 2-1 final score.
 
Unfortunately for coach Neil Cassidy and his Cardinals, the 2-1 decision did not end in the Cardinals' favor, as Bethel scored a pair of unanswered goals in dealing Saint Mary's a 2-1 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference setback at Ochrymowycz Field.
 
Saint Mary's took control early, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the 12^th minute, as Erin McElligott (New York City, N.Y.) took a feed from Becca Dup (Albert Lea, Minn.) and beat BU goalkeeper Kaylee Peterson for her second goal of the season.
 
The Cardinals would cling to that one-goal lead until the 39^th minute, when Maggie Sipe notched her team-leading seventh goal of the season to pull the Royals even 1-1.
 
Bethel added what proved to be the game-winner 10 minutes into the second half, as Sarah Gielau launched a direct kick over the head of Cardinal goalkeeper Gabriela Pederson (Chaska, Minn.) and into the upper left-hand corner for the 2-1 BU lead.
 
Pederson finished with four saves in goal for the Cardinals (0-4-0 MIAC, 5-5-0 overall), who are back in action on Saturday, traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for a 1 p.m. MIAC matchup against St. Catherine.