MARSHALL, MN – A lockdown defensive effort on the road combined with a first half goal by Malia Brudvik carried the University of Mary women's soccer team to a 1-0 road win over Southwest Minnesota State University.
 
The victory pushed the Marauders up three slots in the closely-contested conference standings to a tie for tenth place. With 11 points in the conference standings, UMary (4-6-2 overall / 3-5-2 Northern Sun) is now just two points out of eighth place and the final Northern Sun playoff slot with five games to play.
 
The Marauders pressured the Mustangs defense early, firing two shots on net and unleashing a pair of corner kicks in the first 12 minutes of play.
 
SMSU countered and fired a shot on frame in the 19^th minute, stopped by Marauders goalkeeper Madisyn Waltman. It proved to be the lone save of the day for the Marauders freshman, who picked up her fourth clean sheet of the season.
 
Brudvik found the net at the 22:50 mark of the first half to score what would prove to be the only goal of the game. A transfer this season from Peninsula College, it was the junior defender's first career goal for the Marauders.
 
The UMary defense then took over. SMSU missed on two scoring chances in the remaining part of the first half and was limited to a single shot and one corner kick in the second half.
 
The Marauders held a 10-4 edge in shots and had an 8-1 advantage in shots on frame with a 5-2 lead in corner kicks.
 
UMary concludes its southern road swing with a visit to the University of Sioux Falls on Sunday, Oct. 14. Game time is 1 pm.
 
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