DULUTH, MN – In a regular-season game with a playoff intensity, Megan Lowery found the net in the 87^th minute to lead the visiting University of Mary women's soccer team past the University of Minnesota Duluth 1-0. It is the Marauders fifth straight win.
 
With four conference games remaining today and a full slate of action set for Sunday, Oct. 28, UMary (8-6-2 overall, 7-5-2 for 23 points) has moved at least temporarily to sixth in the Northern Sun standings. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason tournament, which begins Wednesday, Oct. 31. The Marauders entered today's game in 7^th place in the NSIC standings while the Bulldogs (7-9-1, 6-7-1 for 19 points) were in a three-way tie for eighth and just a point behind UMary. Four points now separate the two teams.
 
The Marauders postseason placement comes down to their home game against St. Cloud State University on Sunday. Game time for the final regular season match of 2018 is 1 pm at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. With a win the Marauders guarantee themselves a spot in the NSIC tournament and a finish as high as fifth. A loss could conceivably knock UMary to ninth and out of the tournament.
 
Both teams attacked all game but neither team could convert their opportunities. The Marauders nearly took the lead late in the opening half after Caylin Cathey dribbled past the Bulldogs defenders to the end line. Her effort to center the ball resulted in a corner kick in the 44^th minute. Malia Brudvik had a shot but the attempt went wide.
 
The Bulldogs dialed up the offense exiting the locker room after intermission and nearly took the lead, outshooting the Marauders 7-2 in the opening ten minutes of the second half. UMD fired one shot off the cross bar and UMary's Madisyn Waltman was forced to make a pair of saves.
 
The Marauders defense then found its footing, limiting the Bulldogs to just three shots – two on frame - and one corner kick in the last 35 minutes.
 
With the Marauders defense back in control, UMary took advantage of its first corner kick of the second half. Jade Smith served a ball where Lowery was able to create space and convert the opportunity for the game's lone goal at 87:15.
 
The late counter left UMD with just one chance to even the game but the UMary defense blocked the Bulldogs last shot in the closing seconds.
 
An All-NSIC and all-region performer last season, Lowery now has three goals and an assist her last four games, all UMary wins. She also has three game-winning goals this year and four total counters.  
 
Smith picked up her fourth assist of the season and third in the last five games.
 
Waltman registered her seventh clean sheet of the season and fourth in the Marauders last five games. The freshman faced 17 shots and saved all six that were on frame.
 
Cathey took five of the Marauders 12 shots. Both she and Lowery had two of UMary's seven shots on goal.
 
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