Duluth, Minn. – The Saint Scholastica Men's soccer team competed in their second to last MIAC Conference regular season match today against the Cardinals of Saint Mary's University. Today's senior day conference match ended with the Saints sealing a physical 2-1 victory over their conference opponent.

First Half
The Saints came out energized in front of their home crowd, establishing control of possession and dictating tempo from the opening whistle. Midfielders Gabriel Marchesoni (Surrey, Canada/) and Melvin Bergkvist (Vallingby, Sweden/) quickly made their presence felt, creating early chances for Tim Bader (München, Germany/) and Louis Maerker (Essen, Germany/) that forced the Cardinals' goalkeeper into action.

The breakthrough came in the 16th minute, when Parker Chastey (Duluth, MN/Denfeld HS) capitalized on a slick setup from Bergkvist, slotting home a composed finish to give St. Scholastica a 1–0 lead. The Saints continued pressing, with Bader and David Lopez (Jalisco, Mexico/Universidad de Guadalajara) both testing the keeper again before halftime.

Goalkeeper Ben Hallberg (Princeton, Minn./Princeton HS) stood tall in net, making several crucial saves to preserve the lead, including a diving stop on a dangerous shot from Saint Mary's top scorer, Cohan Hare. The Saints entered halftime ahead 1–0 after a composed and confident first 45 minutes.

Second Half
The Saints wasted little time adding to their advantage after the break. In the 62nd minute, forward Tim Bader (München, Germany/) doubled the lead with a clinical finish following sustained offensive pressure. The goal was Bader's team-leading strike of the season and showcased his precision in front of goal.

Moments later, Hallberg again came up big, denying another Saint Mary's opportunity to maintain the two-goal cushion. The match grew more physical as the Cardinals pressed forward, but the Saints' back line — anchored by Jakob Jansen (Lengerich, Germany), Aiden Olson (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East HS), and Lopez — stayed composed and disciplined.

Even after a late Saint Mary's goal in the 74th minute, the Saints never wavered. Substitutes Sami Kaestle (Buchrain, Switzerland/), Lucas Bollback, and Truls Wichstrom-Johansen (Sarpsborg, Norway) provided valuable minutes down the stretch as St. Scholastica managed the final moments with confidence to seal the 2–1 victory.

What's Next
The Saints (3-11-4, 3-5-1 MIAC) will once again remain home, this time, to compete in a non conference match against the Bluedevils (1-13-3) of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. This match is scheduled for 1 P.M.