BILLINGS, Mont. - With the final day of the Rimrock Classic in the books, the University of Mary Men's Soccer team will return to Bismarck with their first win of the season over Carroll College.
 
The Marauders (1-2-1) had an offensive explosion in the first half and rode the defense the rest of the way as they defeated the Fighting Saints (2-2) without the need of extra time at 3-2.
 
U-Mary wasted little time getting the offense in gear as they fired off six shots before the 20th minute and scored their first goal of the match in the 18th minute. Migel Bartolo scored the first goal after André Almqvist sent a cross into the box and Bartolo headed the pass just out of reach of the keeper's hands to give U-Mary the lead at 1-0.
 
The Marauders kept the pressure up as James Liddiard took a through pass from Ramsey Blahnik and beat the keeper one-on-one to extend the lead to 2-0 over the Fighting Saints.
 
After a quick water break, U-Mary went right back to work and Bartolo recorded his second goal of the match only 1:06 after the second goal to give the Marauders a commanding 3-0 lead; Bartolo's shot was from inside the box.
 
Carroll College finally got on the board in the 31st minute after a free kick from Jonathan Taylor to a header shot from Terry Cox snuck past Ludvig Rhodin in a crowded box, and the score remained the same through the end of the half with the Marauders owning an advantage in shots at 11-3.
 
The Fighting Saints tacked on one more goal in the 54th minute when Jose Porras corralled a loose ball off a cross and fired off a shot past U-Mary's keep to narrow the Marauder lead to 3-2, but that was all she wrote for the match as U-Mary tightened up the defense the rest of the way. Rhodin made another save in the 70th minute and the defense ended up blocking three more shots as the defense had to face seven corner kicks from Carroll College in the second half.
 
Bartolo took three shots in the game, all on goal, to go with his two goals.
 
Liddiard only needed one chance as his lone shot on goal found it's way to the back of the net.
 
Aaron Brennan was credited with the assist on Bartolo's second goal of the match and he also paced the offense with two shots, both on goal.
 
Rhodin finished the match with two saves as he spent the entire game in the keeper's box.
 
The Marauders will return to Bismarck for their home opener on Saturday, September 19, where they will take on Montana State University Billings for the start of the conference schedule.
 
#marauders#