Box Score | GameDay Preivew

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Saint Mary's University men's soccer team was within seconds — literally — of earning a hard-fought 1-1 tie against Lake Forest in the season opener for both teams.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals and first-year head coach Pete Watkins, a strange thing happened on the way to that season-opening tie, as the Forester's Nicholas Kiminski scored with 20 seconds remaining in the second overtime to hand SMU a 2-1 setback.

"It was a tough result, but I was very proud of the effort to battle back after the early goal," said Watkins. "Lake Forst is a quality team adn we saw a good example of what MIAC games will be like in terms of intensity and environment."

The Foresters didn't waste any time notching the season's first goal, as Mahir Mameladzija beating SMU goalkeeper Chris Williams (Chicago, Ill.) off a corner kick just 2:15 into the first half.

The Cardinals answered 16 minutes later as Juamaine Venter (Rochester, Minn.) — the Cardinals' leading scorer a year ago — picked up where he left off in 2010, netting his first of the season off assists from Matt Graber (Denver, Colo.) and Mark Thompson (Madison, Wis.).

Williams finished with eight saves in goal for the Cardinals, while Lake Forest's Giancarlo Colasanti stopped five of the six SMU shots he faced.

The Cardinals are right back in action on Saturday, as SMU travels to Rockford, Ill., for a 1 p.m. nonconference contest against Rockford.

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