BISMARCK, ND – Playing in front of a true home crowd for the first time in 17 seasons, the University of Mary men's soccer team saw their second half rally fall just short in a 4-2 loss to MSU Billings.
 
In a match played on the University of Mary campus, over 250 fans checked out the Marauders game. The last time men's soccer played on campus was 2000 when head coach Dave Cook was a freshman on the UMary squad.
 
The Yellowjackets stung the Marauders early when JD Hauenstein scored his first goal of the season in the fourth minute of the game, striking before players and fans had time to get acclimated to the new surroundings. MSU Billings tacked on two more in the first 22 minutes of the game and led 3-0 at intermission.
 


UMary took advantage of an MSU Billings mistake less than three minutes into the second half. An illegal touching by the Yellowjackets goalkeeper gave the Marauders an indirect kick about 12 yards from the net. Nathan Clifford did a quick touch to fellow freshman Joel McIlroy, who shredded the upper right corner of the net for his second counter of the season.
 
Following another Yellowjackets goal in the 55^th minute, Clifford pulled the Marauders back within two as he scored an unassisted goal at 68:03 of the match.
 
The Marauders nearly cut the deficit to a single goal less than a minute later but Michael Hertz's header attempt sailed high.
 
In a scrappy game that saw seven yellow cards issued, MSUB held a 20-17 edge in shots and a narrow 13-11 margin in shots on frame. UMary held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 
McIlroy led the Marauders with four shots, including three in target. Clifford added two on frame.
 
Marauders goalkeeper Ludvig Rhodin made eight saves in the game. Tom Lohmann of MSU Billings was credited with nine.
 
UMary remains on campus for one more game when the Marauders host Upper Iowa on Monday at noon. Marauders athletics will be grilling free food beginning at 11 am for all fans.
 
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