ST. CLOUD, MN – In a battle for playoff positioning between a pair of teams tied for fifth place in the Northern Sun, the University of Mary suffered a narrow 1-0 loss at St. Cloud State University in the Marauders final road game of the regular season. With two games remaining – both at home - the Marauders slip to seventh place in the league standings. UMary has secured a berth in the NSIC postseason tournament, however.
 
The Marauders are 9-4-2 overall and 7-4-2 for 23 points and seventh place in the NSIC. The Huskies improved to 9-4-3 and 8-3-2 for 26 points and now sit alone in fifth place.
 
With home games against Northern State University on Wednesday, Nov. 6, and Minot State University on Friday, Nov. 8, the Marauders can finish anywhere from fifth to eighth. In addition to SCSU in fifth with 26 points and two games to play, Southwest Minnesota State University is sixth with 24 points and one match left. UMary is seventh with 23 points and two games left while Wayne State is eighth and has one game remaining. The Marauders defeated both SMSU and WSC to hold tiebreakers over both squads.
 
The top eight teams in the NSIC standings qualify for the postseason tournament with the top four teams hosting opening round games. The highest seeded team remaining after the first round will host the conference semifinals and championship game.
 
In a nail biter, both defenses ruled the game. UMary applied early pressure on a shot on net by Malia Brudvik followed by a corner kick in the first 10 minutes of play. SCSU then took control, launching eight shots with UMary goalkeeper Madisyn Waltman forced into making five saves to keep the contest scoreless at intermission.
 
UMary started the second half impressively by generating a corner kick and firing three shot to one for SCSU in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
 
The game took a dramatic turn in the 61^st minute when Jenna Dominguez scored for the Huskies. SCSU rode that goal to the end, holding the Marauders to just three shots the rest of the way with only one on net.
 
The Huskies held a 12-8 edge in shots and a 7-5 advantage in shots on frame. SCSU also generated five corner kicks to three for UMary and committed 15 of the 29 fouls called in the game.
 
Waltman finished with six saves for the Marauders. Brudvik led the Marauders with two shots on target.
 
The Marauders return to host Northern State at 4 pm on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. Originally scheduled as the conference opener for both teams, the game was postponed due to lightning.
 
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